Plunging her heart and soul into preserving the memory of her late father, Olympic gymnast Olivia Vivian has again turned a dream into reality.


Vivian, who lived her childhood fantasy by competing at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was in shock when her father Craig died in 2013 from complications after surgery on a melanoma.

Later that year, she was laid up for months after breaking her back in a bold move she hoped would be known as The Vivian.

Now the 25-year-old is considering reviving her career at the national titles in May.

During her rehabilitation, she also decided to honour her dad and the family’s multi-generational plumbing business in Cottesloe by opening a quirky cafe called The Leaky Tap.

She was lying down with fractures in her back watching TV and started thinking about life after gym.

“I knew I wanted to honour Dad in some way, ” she said.

“It’s been an emotional journey opening the cafe but I feel really proud and I’ve had a lot of satisfaction doing it.

“As a little girl, I idolised Dad and even told him I wanted to be a plumber.

“This way, in some sense, I get to continue Dad’s business on and that’s what makes it so special to me.”

 

Olivia Vivian at her cafe called The Leaky Tap. Picture: Michael Wilson


Vivian said former WA swimming champion Eamon Sullivan, who runs three Perth eateries and was a past weights training partner, helped with advice on how to set up the business.

 

© The West Australian

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