Canada's Fab IV hungry for success: Despatie

CBC Sports spoke with two-time Olympic silver-medallist Alexandre Despatie, who also hosts the Radio-Canada Olympic Games morning show, to preview the upcoming diving events at the Rio Olympics. Diving starts Sunday at 3 p.m. ET (live streaming on cbc.ca/olympics, and CBC Rio 2016 app).

CBC Sports: What are your expectations for the Fab IV of Jennifer Abel, Pamela Ware, Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion in Rio?

A lot of people have big expectations of them. Three of them are already Olympians, three of them are already Olympic medallists in synchronized events. Pamela [Ware] is going to her first Games, but she has so much experience at the highest level of competition already, so that's going to be an advantage.

• SCHEDULE: Diving at Rio 2016

The fact that they're all so experienced and they've all been there competing in a stressful situation, I think that's why we have high expectations of them because they can do it. I know these girls and I know they're hungry for success and I just hope that they meet their dreams and that they're able to put it together in the moment.

CBC Sports: Each of them will compete in the individual and synchronized events. How much of a factor does fatigue play in affecting their performance throughout the Games?

These girls are very, very well trained to compete in two events. They've done it before for years and the Olympic schedule is a bit advantageous that way because it's very spread out.

Diving takes place over the two weeks of the Olympics, which is kind of good for our athletes to take softer days after an event. They might even have two days in between certain events, which is a good thing.

They have planned for this, and fatigue is obviously going to settle in. But if I'm being 100 per cent honest with you, if in an Olympic event you don't find the extra little energy that's going to give you a boost, it means that you should not be there. It's the Olympics; you're going to get a boost of adrenalin, you're going to get that extra energy. It's very rare I think for divers that you will feel fatigued while competing. It's just too much of a big event and the excitement is there.

CBC Sports: Who are some of the other medal threats in the women's events?

For diving, China has always been the powerhouse and they will be again for these Olympics for every event, pretty much. So you've got to look out for the Chinese team. I would say in the synchronized events, the Italians are good, the Americans are competitive. The Olympics are such a special event that sometimes you see countries rise and seize that moment because others crumble under that pressure.

CBC Sports: On the men's side, what do you expect from Vincent Riendeau, Philippe Gagné​ and Maxim Bouchard at their first Olympics?

I think much like I felt at my first Games: I was a bit younger than they are, but for these guys this time around it's about living that experience. This is really preparation for the next cycle, looking ahead at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

I have been very, very impressed by these boys, especially this year. They're really developing themselves, progressing towards being men, competing with the men out there. I think it is possible to imagine for them, much like myself in 2000, if they make a top 12 finish it's great. They've really, really done well. And if not, they'll learn from this experience and go forward for the next cycle.

I think if they really stay focused, don't get overwhelmed with the fact that they're at the Olympics, they have the potential to accomplish their objectives.