Roseline Filion bought her first Mini in 2007.Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail
Roseline Filion
Profession: Diver and Olympic bronze medalist
Age: 25
Hometown: Laval, Que.
The car: 2012 Mini Cooper
Notable achievements
- Won bronze at 2012 London Olympics, 10-metre synchro; competed in Diving Women’s Platform in 2012 London Olympics, finished 10th
- Won silver at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, 10-metre synchro
Upcoming
- Canada Cup FINA Grand Prix in Gatineau, Que., May 2-5
- The 2013 FINA/Midea Diving World Series in Guadalajara, May 17-19
- World Championship trials in Quebec City, May 24-26
- World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, Spain, July 19-28
*****
She has reached new depths in her diving career. Roseline Filion achieved international fame diving with her synchronized partner Meaghan Benfeito.
Together, they've accumulated numerous medals – a silver in the women's 10-metre synchro event, the first stop on the FINA/Midea Diving World Series circuit in March, as well as a bronze medal in the 10-metre platform synchronized event at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.
After that big win, Filion treated herself to a new car when she returned home – a 2012 Mini Cooper.
Why did you buy a Mini?
I've been a client with them since 2007. I bought my first Mini Cooper then and, after the Olympics, I decided to have a new one. I just love those little cars.
I'm tiny so I don't like big cars that take space. I felt really comfortable in a small and really good-looking Mini Cooper.
I bought my first car at 21. I was saving up because I really wanted a Mini. I was really happy.
Most of my friends had cars at 16. It was hard for me to actually wait until I was 21. But it was worth the wait.
I was able to manage my money to get what I was pushing for. I was saving up. I took good care of money. The money I didn't need at the moment I would put away until I needed it to buy a car. My parents raised me in a way that at a young age I started managing my money and knowing what I could afford and what I had to do if I wanted something more expensive. That material stuff came second if I needed to use that money for driving, sports, or traveling for competition – that was my main focus.
That's why it took a while to save all the money I needed for the Mini. It was worth the wait to get what I really wanted. I take really good care of it so it'll last me for a very long time.
I shopped a bit for a different model because I had the other model for five years. They are offering so many different models now, it's interesting to see.
What's your favourite feature on your new Mini?
I love the colour, the stripes and the general look. The British look I absolutely adore.
My first one was red with black stripes and now it's fully black with the black wheels, too.
Do you know what's under the hood?
I have no clue. I shopped the car with my dad and he was asking all of those questions for me.
What does a Mini Cooper say about you?
Sophisticated, cute, and sporty at the same time. Every person who knows me says my car is the perfect fit for me.
Any accidents with your Minis?
I had one little accident with my old one – but nothing major. I bumped a car going backward out of my parents' driveway. I didn't see the car. It was parked. It's no major accident, but it's a little bump and scratch. So, I had no bad experience with my car.
Do you like driving?
I really like driving.
I'm from the suburbs of Montreal so I definitely needed a car to go to my practice, my training and to school.
Now that I live in Montreal, I drive a little less, but I go back to my parents more often.
I love to take my car to go places. I've been driving up to Quebec City or Ottawa with it and it's just very comfortable. The every-day comfort is a nice thing.
What's your driving style – do you like to drive fast?
I don't drive too fast, but I'm not slow.
It fits my personality – I like adventure.
I like driving it around and not at the minimum speed, but not too fast. I've had no speeding tickets.
I'm bad with parking tickets, though. Moving from Laval and coming to Montreal, in the beginning, I had a big challenge with the vignettes and knowing which way to park at certain times. At the beginning, it was really hard, but now I'm really good with it. So no more tickets!
I've been to China where driving is completely crazy. Too many people. They honk all of the time – they don't signal – they just go. In Montreal, driving is so much better. Miami is crazy as well. Montreal is not so bad actually compared to other places.
If I could bring you the keys to any vehicle what would it be?
I would stay in the BMW-Mini range. I like the X3, the little truck, not too big. I don't know what it would be like to be behind the wheel of a truck.
But I'm not a huge expensive car lover. I like the Porsche – obviously, but I wouldn't drive one.
Lamborghinis or Ferraris – they're too low. I would be in the passenger seat, no problem. But I don't think I would be comfortable driving it. I'd stay with the BMW family.
Twitter: @PetrinaGentile
Petrina Gentile