SAINT-DENIS, France – Fourth place at the Olympics is gut-wrenching.
But finishing there over and over and over again is simply cruel.
Canadian diver Caeli McKay’s Olympic experience has become the same old song on repeat after scoring 364.50 points in the women’s individual 10-metre platform final Tuesday at the Aquatics Centre. She finished one step off the podium for the third time after a fourth with Ottawa’s Kate Miller in the 10m synchro final last week and the same with Meaghan Benfeito three years ago in Tokyo.
“Obviously getting fourth twice at the same Olympics – I mean, three times in my Olympic career – is a little bit tough,” the 25-year-old from Calgary said, “but (Tuesday), I have no regrets. There’s nothing I would have changed.”
“When I feel like I couldn’t have done anything more, it’s easier to take in.”
She has finished fourth so many times, she can rank them for you. This one was the best.
“I’m very proud of myself right now,” she said. “Getting fourth when you put on a show is not a bad thing. Getting fourth when you have put everything out there and didn’t hold back and didn’t mess up anything, that’s all I could have done.
“Kate and I both wanted it (last week). It was a bit more heartbreaking because we were so close to medaling and weren’t as sharp as we wanted to be. The Tokyo one (fourth by a half-point) hurt the most. That one sucked. This one feels great.”
Because of Chinese dominance, 10 of 12 competitors were realistically battling for bronze. Hongchan Quon, who is 17-years-old, started the final with a perfect 90-point dive and defended her Olympic title with 425.60 points to teammate Yuxi Chen’s 420.70.
North Korea’s Kim Mi Rae was third (372.10). Does McKay ever secretly wish one of the divers ahead of her trip, slip or cannonball into the pool so she can bump up to third?
“Obviously, we always hope we’re doing better than the other person,” the 2023 world bronze medalist said. “But in the end, I only focus on myself. I didn’t look at the scoreboard the whole event. I did know that I was doing well because when I put all my dives together, that’s what happens. When I do all five or the first four, I know I’m in the running.
“I knew it was going to be tight and she (Kim) nailed her last dive. I can’t control that. Good on her.”
What is it going to take to ascend to that medal position? McKay moved to Montreal at age 16 and dedicated her life to this pursuit.
“I have no idea,” she said with a grin. “If I knew the trick, I’d probably be on the podium. They (the Chinese and North Korean divers) are really good. That’s all I can say. I have to be better. They’re pushing the sport. They’re consistent. They work really, really hard.
“We all work hard but (Tuesday), it was her bronze medal.”
McKay called it too early to decide if she will try again four years from now in Los Angeles.
“I’ll take a mental break,” she said. “I’m motivated. I love diving. Right now, I’m on vacation. I will walk in the closing ceremonies. I’ll be cheering on my teammates and go have a nice dinner with my family and enjoy the atmosphere being in Paris – a once-in-a-lifetime trip for all of us.
“I’m going to go appreciate it.”