Some months ago, he was doing somersaults on a mattress at home, practicing some fitness in rented machines, and hoping that the situation would get better. This Monday, at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Alejandro Solarte from Colombia finished 19th in the preliminaries of the men’s 10m platform. While this not gives him a direct access to the Olympics this summer in the Japanese capital, this position will most probably grant him a “ticket” for the Games, once the final allocation of nominal places is done. At 19, the talented diver is presently training at the FINA Development Centre in Kazan (RUS), where he has completed his first two out of 10-month programme.

“It’s definitively a plus being in Russia. I had already the dives and the technique, but I missed competition. There, in Kazan, there are many more events than in Colombia, and of course many more high-level divers. This helped me a lot coming here, as I felt safer in my dives!”, confesses Solarte, from Cali. “Moreover, the pool there is amazing and it has the perfect conditions for any athlete to prepare conveniently. Also, it’s an interesting experience, as many divers from different nationalities are preparing there”.

Brought by the parents to sport – especially swimming – the young Alejandro then started seeing other children diving from the boards. “I immediately wanted to try that; I thought it was funny. At the beginning I was quite bad, and my technique was really not good. But I was picked up by my coach Miguel Garcia [performing in the high diving circuit], who believed in me and greatly improved my performances”, he recalls. Initially diving from both 3m and 10m, Solarte is now specialising in the higher board.  

In a year marked by the COVID-19 restrictions in the world, the Colombian explains the difficulties he felt, but also the strategies he adopted to stay fit throughout these long months. “It was really a complicated time – they have closed absolutely everything in the country. The first weeks/months I had to train at home, but I kept close contact with some fitness clubs, to which I rent some machines to train in my place. Also, I had a mattress in my living room and was practicing there my somersaults…”

Coming back to the World Cup in Tokyo, the Colombian was quite steady in the 10m preliminaries (contested by 46 divers), only missing his second combination, the forward 4 ½ somersaults. “Fortunately, I could keep calm for the remaining of the competition, and I finished on a consistent way”. The Colombian totaled 382.70 points, while the 18th ranked diver finished the heats in 392.00. “The Olympics are the dream for any athlete. I hope I can be there, and then whatever happens is good!”

Competing in his first world event, Solarte praises the venue in Tokyo: “It is an amazing and beautiful facility. Concerning the conditions of participation, they are strict – and it’s a pity we cannot leave the hotel… – but we have to think that our health should always be the priority. Everyone needs to adapt, but I feel very safe in this so special environment”.