Jordan Windle: From Cambodian orphanage to U.S. Olympic Diving Team
Fate plunged Cambodian orphan Windle into the deep end, but now Tokyo 2020 awaits “little Louganis.”
For Jordan Windle, giving up has never been an option.
It's the very spirit that booked him his ticket to Tokyo 2020, in 2021 on the third going of trying at the U.S. Olympic Diving trials.
The 22-year-old produced a sublime dive worthy of five 10s and two 9.5s in the finals to stave off the competition and guarantee a spot on the U.S. roster alongside teammate Brandon Loschiavo, who finished the trials in first.
As David Boudia handed Windle an Olympic ring, the painful memories of falling achingly short of contention in 2012 and 2016 were left in the depths of the plunge pool.
“It just proved that with a positive attitude and continuing to smile, anything can happen,” reflected Windle, on the dive that realised an Olympic dream 15 years in the making.
From Cambodia to America
When you stop to consider the life journey the 22-year-old diver has already been on to get this moment, the true weight of his words: anything can happen, are made clear.
Windle’s story began in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, where he was born. Just a year into life, the infant boys’ parents tragically died meaning he was put in an orphanage in the country’s capital, Phnom Penh.
A year later his fate dramatically changed after he was adopted by American, Jerry Windle, who took the boy to be raised with him in Florida, U.S.
It was at a summer camp, at just seven years old, that a young Windle’s talents were spotted. Tim O’Brien, whose father Ron O'Brien had coached many of America’s elite divers, observed the young boy’s natural abilities and urged his father Jerry, to commit to the sport.
O'Brien had seen something in Windle that reminded him of one of his father's most decorated divers: four-time Olympic champion Greg Louganis. It prompted the nickname "Little Louganis."
Two short years later, Windle won his first National title confirming O’Brien’s instincts, and it didn’t stop there.
The University of Texas senior carried on diving for gold, winning a further five junior national titles, seven senior national titles and more recently becoming a two-time NCAA champion.
Olympic diving at Tokyo 2020: Top five things to know
Your one-stop guide to diving at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, including top athletes, venue information, schedule and more!
Diving has featured at the Olympic Games for over a century, and there will be eight medals on offer in the sport at Tokyo 2020.
There will be four medals available each for men and women, including two 3m springboard and two 10m platform events.
Below, we take a look at the divers expected to light up the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in 2021, the competition schedule, and even some Olympic history in our top things to know about Olympic diving guide.
Top Olympic divers at Tokyo 2020
China is the dominant force at diving, and they won seven out of eight gold medals at Rio 2016.
The Asian powerhouse won nine out of 12 events at the 2019 world championships, meaning they will once again be the nation to beat at Tokyo.
On the men’s side, double world champion Yang Jian has been the most consistent diver in this Olympic cycle. But he will have one eye on Britain’s Tom Daley, who beat him on one leg of the last World Series and will be hoping to add another Olympic medal to his tally.
In the synchro 10m event, China’s depth of diving talent is on full display with double Olympic gold medallists Cao Yuan and Chen Aisen the clear favourites.
China on track for clean sweep in diving
Favourites Chen Aisen and Lin Yue won gold in the men's 10 metre synchronised diving, keeping alive China's goal of winning all eight events in Rio.
The world champions, who were diving together for the first time at an Olympic Games, won by a wide margin, producing near perfect execution and synchronisation scores over six dives.
"We did really well in our performance today, very stable. We did our best, but I don't think it was perfect. It was like a dream,” said Lin. "The only thing on my mind is that I have to do all I can do for my family to thank them for supporting me.”
Steele Johnson and David Boudia from the United States won silver, with Great Britain’s Tom Daley and Daniel Goodfellow taking bronze.
Johnson was elated after finishing on the podium: ”It feels like a dream. The last dive is the dive I struggle with and I was so happy with how it went. Walking away with my first silver medal is beyond whatever I thought I might be able to do.”
Boudia added: ”Now I have the whole spectrum — gold, silver and bronze. I was bronze in 2012 but this one is so much more special as I could share it with someone like Steele, someone I have grown up with diving and he's a true brother.”
Britain’s Goodfellow was happy with his Olympic debut: "I was really nervous as this is my first Olympic Games and I didn't know what to expect but I've dived in this pool in the world cup and done well. We kept our nerve.”
Daley added: "When we got together in October we thought we would get a qualifying spot in the 10 metre synchronised for Britain and see what happens. Then we dived at the world cup and got the bronze and we were winning medals in the world series. We haven't done a competition where we haven't won a medal."
Chen defends Platform crown - London 2012 - Diving
Chen Ruolin successfully defended her women's 10m Platform title in tonight's final at the Aquatics Centre.
Sixteen-year-old Australian Brittany Broben was Chen's closest challenger, but even then she was still 55.80 further back.
Pandelela Rinong Pamg took bronze for Malaysia as she edged out a tight pack behind her with a score of 359.20.
Victory for Chen brought her fourth Olympic Games gold medal, and a second of these Games after she teamed up with Wang Hao to win the Synchronised 10 Platform last week.
Chen had been more than 40 points ahead of her rivals in the qualifying rounds and admitted that had taken the pressure off her this evening.