Sports
Nathan Zsombor-Murray Celebrates Olympic Bronze with Hometown Team
As Nathan Zsombor-Murray proudly displayed his Olympic bronze medal in Paris, his teammates back home at the Pointe-Claire Diving Club were celebrating right alongside him.
David Bédard, the assistant head coach of the club, expressed the joy felt by everyone watching the event. «It’s hard to put into words,» he said. «Their celebration said it all — I think everybody was jumping up and down with them.» Zsombor-Murray and his partner from Saskatoon, Rylan Wiens, secured the bronze medal in the men’s 10-meter synchronized diving event, marking a historic moment for Canada.
This was Canada’s first-ever Olympic medal in this event, and it was also the first men’s diving medal since Alexandre Despatie won at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. «We were like, this is the closest we’ve ever been and maybe ever will be to an Olympic medal — and we came on the other side victorious,» Zsombor-Murray shared excitedly.
His teammates and coaches in Pointe-Claire were just as thrilled as they watched from home. The club has a long tradition of Olympians, having had a member on every team since 1968, which serves as an inspiration for younger divers.
One of those young divers, 15-year-old Mackenzie Maivanhoutte Cacharo, shared her thoughts on the legacy of those who’ve come before her. «Obviously it’s a dream to go to the Olympics, and to know that they paved the path for us, we can follow their steps and someday I think everyone aspires to get there,» she said.
As the Canadian diving team continued on Wednesday, other members like Caeli McKay were set to compete, with their teammates cheering them on.