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Laura Wilkinson
- 2002 Olympic platform gold medalist
- 2004 Olympian, finished fifth
- 2004 World Cup platform gold medalist
- 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
- Married Eriek Julseman on Sept. 7, 2002
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.
Related Links
Photo gallery: 2002 Diving Pre-Grand Prix
Photo gallery: 2005 Diving World Championships
Q&A: Gold medalist Laura Wilkinson on diving, the Olympics and her worst accident
Feature: Lauren Wilkinson describes what it feels like to dive off the 10-meter platform
Video: Wikinson on being back in the fight hi | lo
Official Web site: Laura Wilkinson
On persevering: “Never give up. People have always doubted me and laughed at me, but I never gave up. By persevering, you may surprise yourself, but you will astound others.”
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Height: 5' 6
Born: 11/17/1977
Hometown: Spring, Texas
Resides: Woodlands, Texas
Sport: Diving
Event: platform
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