USA Diving

Record-Setting - Diver Spotlight on Troy Dumais

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Troy Dumais' natural athletic ability and his stern work ethic has made his family and his country proud. At the age of 11, Troy exploded into the world of diving when he won his first gold medal in 1991 at the Speedo National Junior Diving Championships. It would be the first of 19 gold medal performances that destroyed the previous junior national record of 15. Immediately, the diving world started buzzing about the second coming of the diving icon, Greg Louganis.

He's got an innate athletic ability, but Troy also combines a business-like attitude, supportive family life and a strict work ethic to focus all his attention on being the best diver in America.

Raised in Ventura, California, Troy was born January 21, 1980, and began diving just four years later. When many children were just beginning to run and play, Troy was diving competitively. Six years later at his first junior national competition, Troy started down the path of success. In just one year he climbed to the top of the junior scene and has since accumulated enough gold medals to give Fort Knox a run for its money.

His first two gold medals came at the 1991 junior nationals on the 3-meter and platform. At such a young age, many considered his success a fluke, but he proved them wrong when he returned a year later to sweep the competition and win gold in all three events. The world of diving had a new superstar; Troy Dumais had begun his dominance in junior national competition. 1993 was yet another year of dominance for Troy. With five gold medals already in his pocket, Troy returned to the Speedo Junior Nationals to defend his three gold medal performance and did just that. The rare occurrence of a back-to-back sweep of gold medals was added to Troy's already impressive resume. Continuing to live up to the high standards he had set in the previous competitions, Troy took the silver on the 3-meter and platform, but only took home one gold at the '94 junior nationals. Although he barely missed his three-peat, it's impressive to say that he had an off-year because he had to settle with two silvers.

Troy's "gold count" was now at nine. At this rate, it was inevitable that Troy would break the record of fifteen junior national titles, the only question was how fast he would do it. Gold medals at the '95 World Junior Trials did not count toward his junior national record, but Troy decided to win three of them anyway. This was his third gold-medal sweep, but not his last by a long shot.

At this point, for Troy to win at least one gold medal at a diving competition became as common as Michael Jordan hitting the last shot in the final seconds of a nail-biting basketball game. Troy would enter the record books 1995. Entering the junior nationals that year, he was only one gold-medal performance short of tying Bryan Gillooly's record. Troy didn't see the point of tying, so he decided to pull his fourth sweep at a junior national event, putting him ahead by two junior national titles. Standing at the apex of the podium after the 3-meter event, Troy once again stood taller than all his competitors.

By the end of the 1995 junior nationals, the 17-year-old champion diver had made history. Going on to win five more titles, Troy ended his junior national career with a record-holding nineteen national titles.

Along with national accomplishments, Troy built an impressive international trophy collection as well. He took silver on the 1-meter at the 1998 VIII World Championships and an additional silver on the 3-meter at the Goodwill Games that year. A year later he continued to shine on the international pedestal when he took the bronze on the 3-meter at the XIII Pan American Games.

Following high school, Troy signed a full athletic scholarship with the University of Texas. Although his older brother, Justin, was diving at the University of Southern California, Troy decided he needed to carve his own path and become the diver he had set out to be since he had began diving at age four. "I need space and a new start," he said, summing up his decision as he enrolled at Texas in the fall.

Being within two years of older brother Justin allowed them to compete in national competitions together, but in 1997, the Dumais brothers decided to join forces and dive in a synchronized event together at the summer nationals. It proved to be a smart decision and the brotherly combination captured the bronze in their first competition together. The brothers added more excitement to the U.S. team that year when they both qualified for the 2000 Olympic Trials.

But Troy and Justin are only two of the five Dumais divers. Younger brothers Brice and Dwight, and sister Leanne have all adopted the sport as well. This can be accredited to the hard work ethic that is installed into the Dumais children. "My family is really driven to success. They taught me if you work hard enough you can accomplish anything," Troy said of his family.

This work ethic has helped him become a big name in today's diving world. Becoming a champion diver takes endless hours on the board and in the gym. Lifting weights, eating healthy and spending hours on the boards has become a daily regimen for this young athlete. Besides being in top physical condition, Troy has had to train his mind as well. A saying in sports is "you can't just turn your game on and off, you have to prepare to perform." It seems like Troy has taken this to heart. The gravity of his tone and the sharpness of his response reveals how serious he not only takes diving, but everyday life. When asked about the rigorous training for the Olympics he simply stated, "Everybody gets sick of the things that they have to do every day, but you have to look at the big picture, you just have to suck it up and do it."

There is no doubt that the redundancy of jumping off a diving board can become monotonous, but Troy and his coach, Matt Scoggin, have developed a mental attitude that has helped them endure the long hours in the natatorium. "I have to make it fun, it's a part of my everyday life."

Matt's strategy is similar, "we try to keep Troy's life simple in and out of the pool. He has been a lot more focused this last year. Troy works very hard. He has to enjoy coming into the pool and training hard. He is a very tough diver when he is prepared." Troy has stood out from other divers from the beginning of his career. Scoggin believes there are various reasons why. "He is a very powerful diver who has a lot of natural talent. His body lines and his toe point are beautiful, this makes him look incredible in the air, which is similar to Greg Louganis."

Being compared to this diving icon may be difficult to many, but not Troy. He invites expectation and pressure because he thrives off of it. "The way Greg dived was so smooth and precise, I've always tried to copy that. In his time he was the best, but right now no one knows who the best is. I always take it as a compliment, but comparing us in two different time periods isn't fair."

With the Olympics right around the corner, Troy has maintained his routine. "I hope to win the gold - everyone shoots for that." But in preparation for the challenge he and his coach have not worked on anything new. Instead, they remain focused on sharpening Troy's skills and mechanics while continuing to have a good time, planning to take the upcoming trials one day at a time.

This young athlete, who has shattered national records, is still young. He enjoys hanging out with his friends, playing sports, video games and doing well in school. He loves hanging with his family as much as possible and living the college life. Along the way Troy has learned many important lessons and strategies to use in diving -- everything from maintaining your composure to eating right. So for now, this extremely young and extremely experienced diver now has enough in his arsenal to enter the Olympic Trials with confidence knowing that he truly is one of the best.