Addressing the media fresh off her return from Rio, there is no glaringly obvious difference in the demeanor or physical appearance of third year diver Julia Vincent, at least not at first glance. Sure, she can call herself an Olympian now, but how exactly has that manifested in personal change?
She talks to us in that same dulcet staccato that she had before Rio, a voice that conveys a blend of confidence and tenderness enhanced by her South African accent. But the confidence isn't necessarily new. Vincent was an NCAA All-American before the Olympics. She has been named the SEC Female Diver of the Week on more than one occasion. The measured confidence comes from years of grueling training that turned into success. It wasn't artificially born after a competing in a single event, even if it happened to be on the world's biggest stage.
Vincent qualified for the three-meter springboard event, and in five dives during the preliminaries she totaled a score of 220.30, which placed her at No. 29 overall. It was a solid debut showing, but not good enough for her to advance or to fulfill her lofty expectations.
One of her highlights was a forward 2 1/2 somersault twist that scored a 58.5.
Midway through the press conference Vincent shifts her positioning to rattle off yet another composed and thoughtful response, and suddenly the first marking of her post Olympic-self becomes visible. Five freshly inked Olympic rings play peekaboo with the podium table top as she tenses the muscles in her forearm.
When asked about the rings she coyly smiles and responds, "I told my mom years ago that if I was going to the Olympics I was getting the Olympic tattoo."
In a slightly less jovial tone she continues: "It is just to remind where I have been and to give me the strength to keep going. I know I have a lot more in me."
Suddenly something becomes as clear as the ink on her skin — the tattoo is anything but a memento of her experience. The tattoo is motivation for the 2020 games.
As the discussion shifts toward the future the real change, Vincent's relentless hunger for future success continues to become more apparent.
As she looks to re-acclimate herself into post Rio-life, it is has been difficult to pace herself as she recovers from such sustained periods of intensity. She notes that, "I have taken a little time off and I am already ready to get back in the pool and training again. I just want to keep getting better."
While Vincent is decidedly set on moving forward, her coach Todd Sherritt was more willing to take a step back and acknowledge her amazing journey.
"She has got at least two more Olympics in her I think. Definitely this was a good one because she really had to adjust to so many things going down there. It wasn't a smooth trip for us going down there," he said.
Those obstacles included missed flights, getting stuck in an airport and dealing with Rio's infamous green pool water.
Vincent will have to subdue her hunger by focusing on her collegiate swimming at South Carolina and through her training. But it is obvious that she is not the type to rest on her laurels. For now, that tattoo is a daily reminder to improve on her 2016 performance. She will hope to give it a new meaning in 2020.