Breaking the surface

by Greg Louganis

No one who watched the 1988 Olympics on television will ever forget seeing Greg Louganis hit his head on the diving board during the ninth dive of the springboard preliminaries. Millions felt his pain and then held their breath as the two-time gold medalist returned to the board only minutes later, with four stitches and a waterproof patch, and executed what was perhaps the best dive of the 1988 Olympics. People around the world knew they were witnessing a singular moment of extraordinary courage and perseverance. Many still remember the dramatic images of the days that followed: Greg's spectacular diving despite the patch and the stitches, Greg smiling as he tapped his heart to show how hard it was beating, Greg on the platform praying before his final dive, Greg winning his third and fourth gold medals, the very symbol of the Olympic spirit. At a team banquet after the diving was over, Greg thanked his coach, Ron O'Brien, saying, "Nobody will ever know what we went through, nobody."