Menomonee Falls native Nate Cox may have just graduated from Purdue a few weeks ago, but his work is far from over. The 23-year-old was back home this past weekend as he tunes up for the Olympic trials.
“I mean in order to get to top two it's going to take a heck of a lot of work,” Cox explained. “It'll take the best diving of my life by far to make the top two would be absolutely incredible, and I think I have that type of diving within me.”
The best has yet to come for Cox who found success late in diving in high school and in college. Nate didn't start diving until he was a freshman at Menomonee Falls High School. One year later, he was a state champ in the one meter spring board and then again his senior year.
“It kind of helped me really solidify my career as a diver is having that experience there and then going to Purdue it was kind of like another high school phase where it's like, ‘Man, am I good enough to be here?’” Cox recalled.
“But you kind of think back to that and it doesn't happen overnight like you have to put in the work and when you put in the work, you do belong to be there.”
And now Cox has a chance to prove he deserves to be in Rio on the 10 meter platform.
“Obviously I'll have to be focused like 100 percent locked in but also not let the moment like overtake what I've done,” Cox said. “Like my best diving comes when I'm having fun and enjoying it.”
Cox has been enjoying the ride that has one more stop in Indianapolis at the trials in June, but he's hoping that's not the last stop. If Cox doesn't qualify for the summer games, he's done diving.
“It hasn't really in my mind added any extra pressure to me,” Cox said. “It's just really made me think back more and really sink back in to what my focus has always been and trusting the process and having fun. I really actually get to really experience it now because I'm like, ‘Well, if this is it, I want to do it the right way.”
