Human Interest |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Laval, QC, CAN |
Sport Specific Information |
Club / Team |
CAMO: Montreal, QC, CAN |
Further Personal Information |
Higher education |
Business Administration - Andre Grasset College : Montreal, QC, CAN |
General Interest |
Hobbies |
Skiing, golfing. (FINA Aquatics World Magazine, 07 Dec 2010) |
Injuries |
In June 2012 he cut his head while diving in Spain and was forced to spend the night in the hospital. The cut, which was 10.5 centimetres, required a short operation. (uk.eurosport.yahoo.com, 13 Jun 2012)
He did not compete at the 2011 World Championships due to a nagging knee injury that first troubled him in March 2011. (shanghai-fina2011.com, 26 Jun 2011)
He broke the fifth metatarsal on the outside of his right foot in a training accident in April 2008 which saw him sidelined for several weeks prior to the 2008 Olympic Games. (mytelus.com, 15 Apr 2008; alexandredespatie.ca, 10 Jul 2011)
He suffered a back injury in March 2005 when his feet slammed into the platform on a dive at the Canadian National Championships in Quebec. His training was hampered as a result of the injury and on the advice of his coach did not defend his 10m platform world title at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal, Canada. (Globe Sports, 24 Apr 2005) |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Winning two gold medals at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal and winning a silver medal in the 3m springboard event at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. (alexandredespatie.ca/, 10 Jul 2011) |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
At the age of five his parents discovered he had a knack for diving and spoke with the spouse of Sylvie Bernier, Canada's 3m springboard gold medallist at the 1984 Olympic Games. From there he was introduced to CAMO's coach and trainer Michel Larouche. |
General Interest |
Hero / Idol |
US diver Greg Louganis and Canadian ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky. (alexandredespatie.ca, 17 Jan 2007) |
Awards and honours |
He was named Male Athlete of the Year by the Aquatic Federation of Canada in 2000-2003, 2005 and 2010. (FINA Aquatics World Magazine, 23 Oct 2010)
In 2007 he was named in the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale. (alexandredespatie.ca/, 10 Jul 2011)
In 2006 he was named Personality of the Year in the Sports and Leisure category of the Gala Excellence La Presse/Radio-Canada. (alexandredespatie.ca, 17 Jan 2007)
He was voted Male Athlete of the Year for 2005 at the Canadian Sports Awards. He had previously been awarded the Junior Male Athlete of the Year award on four occasions, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002. (Diving Canada, 17 Jan 2007)
In 2003 he became the first Canadian male diver to win gold at a world championships. He also became the first Canadian man to win an Olympic diving medal, silver in the 3m springboard in 2004. (CAMO Diving Club, 29 Jan 2004; olympic.ca, 16 Jun 2012)) |
Sport Specific Information |
Name of coach |
Arturo Miranda |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
He began diving in the family pool at age five with his grandmother as judge and started diving properly when he joined the CAMO Diving Club in 1990. |
Further Personal Information |
Languages |
English, French |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Al or Alex (Athlete, 07 Jan 2000) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"I love competing and diving. That's why I do it. It's not for medals. Although they're good. I love winning also. But the satisfaction is knowing that on one day, I can put everything together. If I do that and finish second or third, that's how it goes. Someone else was better that day." (TSN, 12 Aug 2006) |
Other information |
HISTORIC TREBLE His gold medals in the 1m and 3m springboard events at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal, Canada meant he became the first diver in history to be a world champion in all three individual diving events. His pair of golds in Montreal were added to the gold medal he won in the 10m platform event at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona, Spain. (alexandredespatie.ca, 17 Jan 2007)
OTHER ACTIVITIES He played Olivier Duclos in 'A vos marques! Party!' a French-language, romantic comedy released in 2007. (alexandredespatie.ca, 17 Jan 2007) |