Bill Beacon

MONTREAL (CP) - Coach Michel Larouche made a public apology to diver Emilie Heymans on Thursday for questioning her intensity at the world aquatic championships.

Larouche said Heymans has not spoken to him since she botched two dives and finished fourth in the 10-metre platform event Wednesday. Afterwards, Larouche had said that Heymans had lacked intensity in training and needed to put her personal life in order.

"I want to backtrack on my comments, I want to apologize to Emilie," Larouche said after calling the media together during the men's one-metre springboard event.

"I was a ball of emotion. We've worked hard in the last year and I respect a lot the work Emilie has done."

He said that by apologizing, he hopes to be able to mend fences with one of his star divers from the CAMO club in Montreal. He also coaches men's star Alexandre Despatie.

"I understand that she doesn't want to talk to me right now," said Larouche. "I tried to approach her but it didn't work.

"I just hope that this will open the door so we're able to talk."

Heymans, the defending world champion on the 10-metre tower, took time off after the 2004 Olympics and returned to university, although she resumed training in January.

"She showed up for every practice and each time she missed one, we made up for it," said Larouche. "She always worked hard.

"But as I said, another two or three weeks would have been fantastic. That didn't happen, but I'm still proud of her."

Larouche said he would penalize himself for his comments, but did not elaborate.

"The comments I made were clearly unacceptable," he said. "I'm an experienced coach, and coming from me, it's intolerable.

"I'm going to penalize myself, don't worry about that. I have a lot of respect for Emilie. She's the best in the world on the 10-metre platform."

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