Kiwi Elizabeth Cui Is Ready To Dive Into The Rio Olympics

It’s been quite a while since New Zealand sent a diver to the Olympics, 1992 was the last time, but the spectacularly good form of Auckland girl Elizabeth Cui, who was then not yet born, has changed all that as the young Kiwi is off to Rio to represent her country in the 3m individual springboard event this August. Can she bring back a medal? I wouldn’t put it past her.

Elizabeth Cui

• Nat. – New Zealander
• Age – 18
• Sport – Diving (3m)

Whilst for many of us jumping off a high platform into water is something we tend only to do whilst drunk on the coast, for the FINA diving community it is a highly competitive sport that has slowly been receiving ever more media attention as the audience for this complex discipline grows with the advent of modern media streams and there will be plenty of people in who like to bet on sports in New Zealand at Bet365 or similar keeping an eye on Elizabeth Cui this summer.

She competes in the 3m Springboard individual event, one of several diving events that the Olympics has included since as far back at 1904 when, rather charmingly, it was called “Fancy Diving”, and getting to the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center in Barra da Tijuca this summer is not just a dream come true for Elizabeth Cui, but the achievement of an almost life-long goal. She began diving when she was eight, ten years on these Olympics are what she’s been aiming at for a decade.

Can Elizabeth Cui Get A Medal In Rio?

Diving At The Olympics

• Fancy Diving in 1904
• First NZ Diver since 1992
• Rio Venue – Maria Lenk AC

“Knowing that all my bruises and scars, both mentally and physically, have brought me to the position I am in to day makes everything so with it.” beams Elizabeth Cui, “Since I was eight all I’ve known is diving. I eat, breath and live diving. Ten years dedicating my life to this sport has never felt more satisfying.” She continues aware of how lucky she is too. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Whether she can bring home a medal is another matter. Some certainly think so.

“Given Lizzie has really only been competing at a senior level for the past 18 months, she has shown real professionalism, maturity and mental toughness.” Says Simon Latimer, Diving New Zealand Board Member, “We look forward to supporting her all the way to Rio and are excited by what the future holds for her. For someone at such a young age we have been really impressed with Lizzies ability.” An informed opinion that may well lead you to take advantage of New Zealand gambling laws and back her at Bet365 this summer.

”First in a new generation of really talented young female divers”

Naturally she’ll be up against some stiff competition in Rio, the best of the best will be out to grab those medals and the high flying Chinese team, including World Championship gold and silver medalists Tingmao Shi and Zi He, will be battling off the still improving form of veteran Italian Tania Cagnotto and the Canadian Jennifer Abel. Alongside the talented Malaysian Jun Hoong Cheong this is a line up that Elizabeth Cui will revel being part of.

Of course if you’re in New Zealand gambling news stories later this year will be of Elizabeth Cui returning home in glorious victory that may be premature, she has a long diving future ahead of here and this is just the start of her Olympic story, however with the nature of the Olympic competition being as it is you could do worse than put a little behind her to get a medal in Rio, especially if some of the bigger names succumb to the pressures of the grand stage that is the Olympic Games.