Yona Knight-Wisdom: Writing history and breaking stereotypes
Oct 13, 2019, 07:00 AM
Jamaican diver Yona Knight-Wisdom is something of an anomaly in his sport.
As the Leeds-born athlete says himself, he is almost two metres tall, is a ‘heavy diver’ and he’s black. That isn’t something you see very often.
But despite the stereotype he is writing history in Jamaican sport.
Not only was he the first Jamaican diver to medal at an international diving event, he was also the first Jamaican - and first to represent a Caribbean island - at the Olympics in diving.
On this episode Yona takes us through the reasons why we don't often see people like him in his sport. The Leeds-born athlete also explains why he took the Jamaican route - quite simply he wouldn't be diving now if he hadn't.
He also tells us about the tough lessons he learnt after Rio 2016 as well as the story behind his own podcast The Athlete's Voice.
Messages
Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/SportSpielPod?lang=en
As the Leeds-born athlete says himself, he is almost two metres tall, is a ‘heavy diver’ and he’s black. That isn’t something you see very often.
But despite the stereotype he is writing history in Jamaican sport.
Not only was he the first Jamaican diver to medal at an international diving event, he was also the first Jamaican - and first to represent a Caribbean island - at the Olympics in diving.
On this episode Yona takes us through the reasons why we don't often see people like him in his sport. The Leeds-born athlete also explains why he took the Jamaican route - quite simply he wouldn't be diving now if he hadn't.
He also tells us about the tough lessons he learnt after Rio 2016 as well as the story behind his own podcast The Athlete's Voice.
Messages
Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/SportSpielPod?lang=en
Get in touch: sportspielpod@gmail.com
Visit our website: sportspielonline.com
You can find The Athlete's Voice on Apple Podcasts here - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-athletes-voice/id1417298918
You can find The Athlete's Voice on Apple Podcasts here - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-athletes-voice/id1417298918
Credits
Image credit: With thanks to Yona Knight-Wisdom
Music: Otis McDonald