KIMIKO
HIRAI SOLDATI
OFFICIAL SITE
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OFFICIAL SITE |
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Sports Profile: Diver Kimiko Soldati
Just reaching the Olympic Games was a long journey for Kimiko Soldati. Not many divers earn their first trip to the games at age 30. But then again, not many divers have the inner drive that Soldati possesses. At the Olympic Trials in St. Louis this past month, there wasn't a dry eye to be found following Kimiko's final dive -- earning her a place on the U.S. team. "Here's the moment that's finally come. And I thought about my Mom, who died of breast cancer the summer before my senior year in high school. I thought about her. I thought about my family support that I have. I thought about my move down here to Houston that was totally on faith. And just everything that I had been through to bring me to this point -- it was finally coming true. But at the same time, it was emotional and it was incredible. But it was a step along my journey. Because ultimately, I'm looking at the Olympic Games. And ultimately, I'm looking at Athens," said Kimiko. Circumstances have kept Kimiko from enjoying the moment in the spotlight that her training partner and best friend Laura Wilkinson enjoyed back in Sydney. But now all the years of grinding in practice and putting her body through tremendous strain are being rewarded. "I am very, very grateful. I have undergone four shoulder surgeries, two knee surgeries. I mean, I've been through more injuries and surgeries than you can believe. I have actually never had two years of training consecutively ever in my career, and I'm 30 years old. So I'm excited and I'm very, very grateful that God gave me the grace to even be out here diving," said Kimiko. But there's another chapter of the Kimiko story that may be the most compelling of all. You see, her father was born in a Japanese interment camp during World War II -- not exactly one of America's shining moments. Now she has an opportunity to turn that full circle, representing her country on the greatest stage of all.
"I'm really amazed at the way that my grandparents passed down to my dad and his generation, on down to me -- still being proud of being an American. They did not pass down any unforgiveness or any bitterness. And that's amazing to me. It would be very easy for them to hold bitterness and a grudge against the United States for doing that to them and their family. Now, yes, I'm an athlete. And the United States is embracing us as athletes, taking us and sending us over to Greece to represent them as a country. And I think that's awesome that I can be a part of that, considering everything that my family and past generations have been through," said Kimiko. And our nation couldn't be prouder. Before heading to Greece next month, Kimiko competes in the U.S. National Championships this next week in California. To see video click on following link:
http://www.news24houston.com/shared/video/buildasx.asp?vids=13380&mswmext=.a <http://www.news24houston.com/content/headlines/?ArID=32587&SecID=2> |
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