Wegadesk Gorup-Paul

Page 21

Windspeaker: What one quality do you most value in a friend?

Wegadesk Gorup-Paul: I would say reliability, because I think you should be able to rely on friends when you need them.

W: What is it that really makes you mad?

WGP: Not being able to do something very well.

W: When are you at your happiest?

WGP: Probably when I don't have a set schedule. Most of my time is spent at school and then after that I have to be at diving at a certain time. When I have a day or two to just relax and I don't have to worry about being somewhere is when I am at my happiest. Whenever I have free time, I just like to relax and play a lot of poker.

W: What one word best describes you when you are at your worst?

WGP: Frustrated.

W: What one person do you most admire and why?

WGP: I don't really have anybody that I admire too much because most of the time I'm trying to improve myself, but still be like myself and not so much like anyone else I know.

W: What is the most difficult thing you've ever had to do?

WGP: I guess commit myself fully to this sport that I'm involved in, because it's pretty demanding and it's a lot of training every day and you really have to give up a lot of other things that you enjoy doing.

W: What is your greatest accomplishment?

WGP: I would say my placings at Worlds last month where I came 17th individually and 11th in the synchronized event, and that ranked me as a world diver in terms of where everybody in the world is.

W: What one goal remains out of reach?

WGP: Right now, probably beating Alexandre Despatie, who is our best power diver. He's not competing in the event right now, but if he were to come back, I think beating him would be my biggest accomplishment. But it's something that I think won't happen anytime soon.

W: If you couldn't do what you're doing today, what would you be doing?

WGP: If I wasn't diving, I think I would probably be playing poker most of the time and making money at that. It's more of a fun pastime and it doesn't include too much physical activity. There's the social aspect of it too, but it's also a very good way to make a lot of money. The better you get at it the more money you can make. It's something that I'm good at and I could certainly improve on it.

W: What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

WGP: I would have to say it's probably to work hard now so that I can basically play harder later. While I'm young, I have to get my education and my life on track so that when I'm older it will be heading in a good direction.

W: Did you take it?

WGP: Yes, I did take this advice, in some aspects.

W: How do you hope to be remembered?

WGP: By the public, I guess I hope to be remembered as a good diver and a nice guy and not an asshole like some of the people in the diving community are. I try not to piss anybody off or create enemies for myself. I am looking for sponsorship and if anybody would like to contact me about that that would be good. I am starting to compete at a world level and post good results so I mean it would be a good investment.