Laura Wilkinson
Laura Wilkinson Foundation, President
Beating what many said were impossible odds in one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history, Laura Wilkinson, starting in 8th place and with a broken foot, came from behind to win the 2000 Olympic Platform Gold Medal.
Laura Wilkinson is the only woman in history to win a gold medal in every major world competition in platform diving - 2000 Olympic Games, 2004 World Cup and 2005 World Championships. Laura is also the only American diver in history to win a Goodwill Games gold medal. She has won two NCAA Division 1 titles, eight NCAA All-American Honors and 19 United States National titles. Laura was voted by the American public the 2000 US Olympic Spirit Award winner, was twice a finalist for the AAU Sullivan award, and was nominated for an ESPY in 2000 for Female US Olympic Athlete of the Year.
People always notice something that sets Laura apart from her competitors, her smile. She smiles during the most pressure-packed and fierce competitions, almost like she's removed from the situation, acknowledging her family and teammates in the stands. Laura explains, "I smile because I love what I do. I make a commitment before the competition to enjoy the experience however it turns out."
Laura's passion for the sport of diving goes well beyond her love of training and competition. She dreams of seeing the USA re-emerge as the world leader in diving. To accomplish this dream, Laura set up the Laura Wilkinson Foundation which is a 501(c)3 non profit corporation.
The Woodlands Athletic Center where Laura Wilkinson trained her entire decorated diving career, closed its doors on January 1, 2009. Although Laura is newly retired from diving, she believes in her young teammates' dreams and wants them to have a future in the sport. Therefore, the first goal of the Laura Wilkinson Foundation is to build a world class training facility for her team and community.
More information on the Laura Wilkinson Foundation can be found at http://www.lwfound.org.
