FACTOIDS
Full Name: Laura Wilkinson
Nickname: Laura
Birthday: November 17, 1977
Height: 5’6”
Hometown: Texas
Sports: Diving
Profile
While preparing for the Olympics, Wilkinson broke three bones in her foot – just six months before the Games. The breaks required a two month recovery, during which she could only practice through mental imagery of her dives. She reentered the pool just weeks before the U.S. Olympic Trials and qualified for the Olympics despite competing through her pain. In Sydney she was forced to wear a special shoe just to climb the ladder. She went on to win the platform gold for the U.S., the country’s first such medal since 1964, and underwent foot surgery a short time later.
By winning the 2000 Olympic platform gold medal, Wilkinson upset the heavily favored Chinese ladies, who had won the event in seven of the last eight Olympics
Won 13 U.S. National Diving Championship titles; the only American Goodwill Games gold medal (1998); eight-time NCAA All-American
Named USA Diving Athlete of the Year (2000, 2004); USOC Female Diver of the Year (2000, 2001); nominated for an ESPY Female U.S. Olympic Athlete of the Year Award in 2000
Recites Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” before every dive
Listens to music, talks to friends and prays a lot between dives at a competition
Trains over six hours a day, six days a week
Has had two surgeries – her right foot on Nov. 2000, right wrist Jan. 2005
Nickname is “La-La” or “Wilkie”
Was a gymnast until age 15, when she decided to switch to diving and has been on the National team since 1995
Appeared on her own box of Wheaties after winning Olympic gold in Sydney
Favorite movies are The Passion of the Christ and The Miracle…books are the Left Behind series…music is 1980s…actor is Harrison Ford…color is royal blue
