Olympic degree of success for Jamaican diver graduate

Olympic degree of success for Jamaican diver graduate

12 July 2016, 1:46PM
Leeds Beckett

A Leeds-based diver who is set to create history, becoming Jamaica’s first ever male Olympic diver at this year’s Games in Rio de Janeiro, is celebrating success in the classroom as well as on the springboard.
 
Yona Knight-Wisdom, who will compete for Jamaica in the men’s three metre springboard in Rio, has also graduated after studying for a BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science degree at Leeds Beckett.
 
Yona, 21, took up the sport after being inspired watching the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and first represented Jamaica in 2012.  He competed in the World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona the following year and at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow before winning a silver medal at the Diving World Cup in Rio in February this year, confirming his Olympic selection.
 
Yona, who was born in Leeds to a Jamaican father and Barbadian mother, is a sports scholar at Leeds Beckett and was able to complete his studies alongside his commitments as an elite athlete.  He said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time studying at Leeds Beckett and have appreciated the support I’ve received which has allowed me to combine my studies with my sporting commitments. 
 
“I’m delighted to graduate in the same year as I compete in the Olympic Games and couldn’t be more proud.  Unfortunately I’m not able to attend my graduation ceremony as I’ll be on a training camp as I prepare for one of the biggest events of my life, but I wish all the other graduating students at Leeds Beckett the best of luck in whatever career path they choose to follow.”
 
Speaking about his success, Dr Laurie Patterson, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Leeds Beckett, added: “Yona has been a fantastic student and was a pleasure to teach at every level of the course, including during my supervision of his dissertation this year. He was always enthusiastic about learning and engaged with every activity wholeheartedly.
 
“As an athlete, Yona has come on leaps and bounds over the time that he has been diving, which is a testament to his hard work and dedication. The fact that he is the first male diver to represent Jamaica at an Olympic Games is a great achievement and I’m sure he will act as an outstanding role model for future generations who will be inspired by his involvement in the Games this summer.
 
“I think his success within and beyond sport is down to his willingness to fully commit himself to being the best he can be and his desire to make the most of every opportunity. I have been truly impressed by Yona’s ability to balance high-performance sport and university during his time at Leeds Beckett; but especially this past year where he managed to achieve a first-class mark in his dissertation despite being away at various training camps or competitions throughout the process. We are incredibly proud of him and wish him every success at Rio - we will be watching every dive!”
 
A number of former Leeds Beckett University students are also set to compete at the Olympic Games in Rio including former MSc Finance student and London 2012 gold medallist Alistair Brownlee, BSc (Hons) Sports Performance graduate and race walker Tom Bosworth, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science graduate and diver Sarah Barrow, 2013 graduate and 1,500m runner Laura Weightman and England Rugby 7s captain and BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise graduate Emily Scarratt.

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