KIMIKO
HIRAI SOLDATI
OFFICIAL SITE
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OFFICIAL SITE |
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Soldati Looks Toward Life
After Diving For such a long time, my identity was completely wrapped up in my diving,” admitted 2004 national 3-meter diving champion Kimiko Hirai Soldati. “Whether I was diving good or bad, I defined myself on what I did. It took a lot of growing up and maturing for me to understand that diving is what I do [and] it’s not who I am.” Soldati, 30, has learned this lesson none too soon. After undergoing a fifth surgery on her right shoulder late last year, the Olympian faces a stark reality: Her professional diving career could be over. “It’s very frustrating,” Soldati confessed. “But it is part of being an elite athlete — dealing with injuries.” Soldati is, indeed, among the “elite” in her sport. She has racked up an NCAA national diving championship, qualified for the World Championships, and took a bronze medal at the 2001 Goodwill Games and a silver at the World Cup. Then, in 2001, Soldati “crashed” on a 10-meter dive, tearing a tendon that connects her bicep muscle to her shoulder. The injury has required multiple surgeries — with up to a year’s recovery time away from the sport for each — ever since. “It was definitely a test of my faith,” said Soldati of her initial surgery. “My faith … is what helped me let go of my life-long dream of going to the Olympic Games because maybe it wasn’t going to happen?” However, Soldati did prevail, turning 2004 into an amazing year. She won a silver medal at the FINA/USA Grand Prix and a bronze at the Canada Cup diving championships. Then she competed in her first Olympic trials — and became the oldest member of the U.S. Olympic diving team. But before the Summer Games, there was the 2004 National Diving Championships. The competition placed her under tremendous pressure and speculation. “It was a unique experience because I had already made the Olympic team,” Soldati recalled. “It’s kind of tough being at the top of the hill and everyone wanting to knock you down. Everyone wants to beat you because you’re an Olympian.” In addition, Soldati’s shoulder injury got worse with each dive. “My shoulder was so bad that week [that] I dove in the preliminaries and then went to see my doctor,” she remembered. “I didn’t even practice during that time. I took three days off with two cortisone injections and dove.” Her efforts were enough, and Soldati became the national 3-meter diving championship. Unfortunately, while a career highlight, the experience aggravated her shoulder injury leading into the Olympic Games. “It was awesome, one of the best experiences of my life,” Soldati said. “But after that meet, my shoulder started really getting bad. That’s when I had to start getting all of the cortisone shots to get me through to Greece. “ In Greece, Soldati admits, she did not do as well as she would have liked. “I did the best I could under the circumstances. It wasn’t what I had hoped for, not what I had pictured my whole life, but the whole experience was incredible. It was awesome, and I wouldn’t trade it for a thing.” “It was neat, if this is the end of my career, to finish as a national champion,” Soldati said. “Still, who knows how this injury will heal and what the future holds?” Diving Into the Future And while she is healing, Soldati is exploring other aspects of herself. “I really want to start my family,” she says. She met her husband while diving for Indiana University, and she is actively trying to get pregnant right now. Also this spring, Soldati is scheduled to be part of Trifytt Sports’ U.S. Diving Stars Camp in Las Vegas. There she will coach and speak to some of today’s top young divers. “It’s fun for me to be able to share not just my knowledge with kids in the sport but my passion,” Soldati said. “I want to offer a perspective on life, not just my diving techniques.” In the fall, as part of the Women of Faith “Revolve Tour,” Soldati will tour five cities and speak to more than 35,000 young women ages 12 to18 about her deep-rooted religious faith. The concept has Soldati nearly as excited as a return to diving would make her. “The Olympics are awesome. Doing well in the Olympics would have been great,” Soldati summarized. “But really it’s more about touching other people and speaking to somebody else’s lives. I want to be able to reach into their lives and touch who they are as people.” SOLDATI LOOKS TOWARD LIFE AFTER DIVING |
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