Olympic gold medalist diver Laura Wilkinson is twice the age of some of her prime competition.
But she proved that she is not fading or succumbing to the new wave of hotshot Americans.
It is an accomplishment not lost on her -- especially on days such as Thursday. Wilkinson, 30, advanced to Saturday's women platform final in the AT&T USA Diving Grand Prix meet at Fort Lauderdale's International Swimming Hall of Fame pool. Haley Ishimatsu, 15, who is one of Wilkinson's protégés, faltered in the semifinals. But as both noted: The real test comes in about five weeks.
Ishimatsu, Wilkinson and about 10 other Olympic hopefuls will be vying for a spot on the U.S. team for the Beijing Olympics. The U.S. trials will be June 18-22 in Indianapolis. The winner earns an automatic spot, and the team's second platform diver will be determined from a selection camp in early July.
Wilkinson, who would be the oldest woman on the U.S. Olympic diving team, said she plans to retire after this year. Ishimatsu's career is only beginning.
'I thought, `2012, that's my goal,' but now here I am poised for a spot on the Olympic team. Crazy!'' Ishimatsu said.
Ishimatsu, a 4-11 ½, 95-pound Indianapolis resident, said she sees her mentor Wilkinson as her main opposition. It was the case during the international meet in Fort Lauderdale, with Ishimatsu finishing fourth in the preliminary round -- one spot behind Wilkinson. Ishimatsu figures it could happen again next month.
''We've both had good meets and bad meets and we've just been there for each other,'' said Wilkinson, who is the only American in the Grand Prix platform final. ``It's nice because I've been at the top and I've been at the bottom and I know how everything in between feels. If she has a rough [meet] or a good one, I can be there for her and tell her it's just the beginning. You think that if you have a bad meet people won't think you're good anymore.''
Wilkinson won gold in the 2000 Sydney Games, only to come up short during the 2004 Athens Games. The American divers did not win any medals in Athens, and Wilkinson and Ishimatsu are intent on breaking through in Beijing.
Both are considered favorites to earn spots on the U.S. team.
''All my competition is like 15 and under,'' Wilkinson said, laughing. ``It's a little intimidating, but they're doing great. They're doing dives now that I didn't do until four years ago.''
Around the time Wilkinson began expanding her repertoire, Ishimatsu was just beginning to dive. Ishimatsu had sustained an elbow injury and decided to trade long hours in the gym for the pool.
Her older sister, Tory, had made the same switch, and Ishimatsu figured her gymnastics skills would translate well to diving. Breaking into the sport, Ishimatsu idolized Wilkinson. She never knew they would be competing together.
''It was strange at first, but now I just think of her as a teammate,'' Ishimatsu said. ``She's my competition, and I'm like, `I want to get better than her.'
``It's definitely amazing because every year she gets better and better, and just to be going at it that long and still be getting better, it's really something to look up to.''
Ishimatsu is a bit uncomfortable about being labeled as ``the next big thing.''
''It's kind of strange because I never think of myself like that,'' she said. ``I'm just a diver. To me I'm just another person.''
But some argued that. Wilkinson's coach, Ken Armstrong, said Ishimatsu is ``one of the most phenomenal kids I've ever seen.''
Said Wilkinson, the face of American diving: ``She's obviously an amazing diver. She's a sweet person, sweet friend. She's got a bright future ahead of her for sure.''
A future that might include defeating Wilkinson.
'It's like, `Hey this kid coming up, beat me every once in a while,' but it's good because it brings up your level of performance,'' Wilkinson said. ``It's nice to have someone that can push you.''
• Boca Raton resident Devon Tarantino and partner Christopher Colwill finished second in the synchronized men's 3-meter final Thursday night. Tarantino's silver came hours after he failed to advance from the men's 3-meter springboard preliminary to the semifinals.
• Troy Dumais is the only American in the six-diver, 3-meter final Saturday.
• University of Miami diver Brittany Viola, a 2008 NCAA champion, did not make the women's platform semifinal.
