Thank you, Osmar!

It took 40 years for us to reach this day. Osmar Olvera has just given us one of the most thrilling and emotional performances in the history of Mexico at the Olympic Games.

Osmar left his family at the age of 8 to move to Guadalajara and train with the best. And contrary to the stories we often see, where parents seek to “exploit” their children’s talent (often against their will), in this case, it was Osmar himself who insisted and asked his parents to let him go in pursuit of his dreams.

As expected, the story didn’t unfold the way the young diver had hoped. After just a few months, the insistence was now about returning home. At that age, dealing with the pressure of daily training, demands, and doing it all alone is not easy, but it’s the price or sacrifices to be paid. However, in the diver’s own words, he prefers to call these decisions, not sacrifices. Something worth noting.

12 years after making that decision, Osmar achieved what very few have, especially in recent times, where no other athlete had managed to win 2 medals in the same Games. Osmar did it in a decisive manner, competing head-to-head with the Chinese—who are a world powerhouse—and leaving all other competitors behind.

His quality as a diver is undeniable, but in this case, the difference Osmar has made is undoubtedly in the mental aspect. At such a young age, he carries himself as if he were 20 years old at the highest level and has shown a hunger rarely seen in other athletes from our country.

Let’s start with a truth that no one can refute: China is a global powerhouse in diving, and no one has come close to them for many years. When China is in a competition, the first place is practically assured. This is a truth we’ve grown accustomed to accepting and, in a way, a situation that has even led us to resign ourselves in every face-off against them.

And that’s where Osmar Olvera has emerged to show us that the first step to trying to surpass them is believing it can be done. The silver medal won with Juan Manuel Celaya gave us one of the most iconic images of these Summer Games. As the Mexican duo executed their final, extraordinary dive, the image of the Asian competitors with their heads bowed and feeling defeated was even more valuable and representative than the score our athletes received. Unfair? Experts say yes, and we with the flag on our backs probably agree too.

“They know we were better” was a statement made by Osmar Olvera after the competition. He wasn’t afraid to ‘disrespect’ them, and by this, I don’t mean any kind of insult, but as the word itself implies. Losing the respect that often becomes the first limitation, making us feel inferior and believe it’s impossible to compete against them (or any other powerhouse).

From that statement, Osmar made it clear that he wouldn’t shrink away in the individual event either, and it was precisely in that competition that he thrilled the entire country with his magnificent performances.

By simple mathematics, switching from synchronized diving to the individual event almost automatically places the 1st and 2nd spots with the Chinese representatives, leaving only one spot for the rest of the competitors, making it a real challenge.

That said, after 2 dives, Osmar showed us again that this situation did not bother him at all. On the contrary, after two dives, the Mexican was in second place, ahead of one of the Chinese competitors.

In the end, it didn’t secure a new silver, but it did surpass 500 points and secure the bronze by more than 70 points. A massive difference compared to his closest competitor.

Osmar being a medalist wasn’t a surprise, but what personally surprised me was that his first statement after becoming a double medalist in Paris, instead of heading towards a triumphalist and satisfied speech, was about the work he still needed to do to achieve perfection. “We need to work harder to get the gold medal.

Does anyone doubt that, at 20 years old, Osmar will become an even better diver and bring us more joy?

I can’t imagine what this star could achieve if he had more support and resources to develop in his specialty. We can only recognize and admire the tenacity with which Osmar has made us feel excitement at unprecedented levels. And the best part is, this is just the beginning for him.

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