A little throwback to the 2004 Olympic Finals in Athens. I had won the World Cup earlier that year in this same pool. I did well here, but played it safe on one dive (totally unlike me, I let the pressure creep in) that ultimately kept me off the podium by a handful of points. I finished 5th. Clawing your way to the top as an underdog is one thing. Learning how to be the leader is a totally different ball game. I went into this Games as the defending Olympic Champion and current World Cup Champion. I learned painful but valuable lessons here, then came back and won my first World Championships the following year. Always be learning. Always be working to become more than you currently are. Never stop striving for greatness. Even if you don’t reach those ultimate dreams, who you become along the way is far more valuable for the rest of your life. Spoken as someone who has reached the pinnacle of sport and lost in the most crucial moments in that same pinnacle event. ——————————- Re...