ORMISTON teen Cassiel Rousseau is already making waves in diving after picking up the sport one year ago.
Training more than 25-hours every week, the 17-year-old former gymnast already has a swag of national wins to his name.
But the Tokyo 2020 Olympic hopeful, who is training for November’s FINA Diving Grand Prix at the Gold Coast, could soon be helped to go further not only in sport, but also in life.
Rousseau is one of five young Australians selected for the Sport Australia Hall of Fame scholarship program, which aims to develop recipients’ further by linking them to Australian sporting greats.
Rousseau has been paired with Australian Ironwoman champion Karla Gilbert for mentoring.
Diving might be different to triathlon but Rousseau said he looked forward to Gilbert’s input.
“I am delighted to have access to an Aussie great and look forward to learning from Karla and be able to pass on what I learn from her to younger athletes,” he said.
A $5000 bursary will also be awarded to Rousseau as part of the scholarship, which can be used towards travel expenses.
He will be officially awarded the scholarship next month when he travels to Melbourne for the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala Dinner.
Gilbert said becoming a champion was as much about mental strength, something she hoped to foster in her protege.
“Cassiel is already stamping his authority in the sport of diving and I’m honoured to be stepping in and supporting his goals through mentoring,” she said.
“Diving is a sport that requires crazy amounts of focus and mental strength and this is the area where I hope to assist Cassiel in developing further.”
For more information about the Sport Australia Hall of Fame scholarship, visit here.
