Catholic diver to pursue Olympic dreams in Greece

Published: 2004-08-09

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- Mark Ruiz makes the sign of the cross and says a prayer before every dive in every competition. "Without (God) I wouldn't be where I am today," said Ruiz, who trains in Orlando and will vie for Olympic gold in synchronized diving in Athens, Greece, during the Summer Olympics. An Olympic medal would cap a nearly 16-year diving career that has included 21 national titles. "I contemplated leaving the sport last year but I had too much love for the sport to quit," Ruiz, a member of Holy Family Parish in Orlando, told The Florida Catholic, newspaper of the Orlando Diocese. "I started drawing little posters with 'USA' written on top, with the Olympic rings in the middle and 'Gold' written at the bottom," he added. "It reminds me of why I am still here. I want to win an Olympic medal." As a young child growing up in Puerto Rico, Ruiz said he was fearless, somersaulting off tree branches and rope swings. His mother, Linda Torres, snuck him into hotel pools to swim.

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