Paris, France – Jamaican diver and men’s team captain Yona Knight-Wisdom delivered a heartfelt and introspective interview after finishing 13th in the semi-final of the men’s 3m springboard dive competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Competing at the Paris Aquatic Centre, Knight-Wisdom amassed a total of 412.40 points, narrowly missing out on a place in the final by just 3.8 points. The 12th and final spot went to Jonathan Ruvalcaba of the Dominican Republic, who scored 416.20 points.
Reflecting on his performance, Knight-Wisdom expressed a mixture of pride and disappointment. “It’s a big mix of emotions at the moment for sure,” he shared. “Finishing 13th is the worst place to finish, but I’m super proud of what I did. I finished with a really strong dive; I didn’t know where I was, but I knew I was in the mix.”
Knight-Wisdom’s strongest dive was his first—a forward 3 ½ somersaults in the pike position—which earned him 74.40 points. However, his fifth dive, a reverse 3 ½ somersaults in the tuck position, brought him his lowest score of 52.50 points.
His last Olympic Games
Despite this, he remained positive about his overall performance. “Round five was definitely better than yesterday, but I improved my score, I improved my performance all the way through,” he said. “In terms of what I was trying to do, I’ve achieved that—to improve from prelims to semis, that’s what I wanted. Just unfortunate there were 12 better divers than me.”
At 29 years old, Knight-Wisdom has decided that Paris 2024 will be his last Olympic Games, marking the end of a distinguished career that began over a decade ago. “This is definitely the best performance I’ve had in the semi-final,” he reflected. “In Rio and Tokyo, even though I was relatively close, I made mistakes—like quite big mistakes—which caused me to miss out. Whereas here, I wouldn’t say my fifth dive was a mistake, it’s just something that happens in competition.”
When asked if he would consider returning to the sport, Knight-Wisdom was resolute in his decision to retire. “Definitely, I’m definitely retiring, unless someone pulls out, that’s my last time,” he confirmed. As the 13th-placed diver in the semis, he was listed as a reserve should one of the 12 drop out for any reason before the final.
“I’m very happy that I’ve finished with a good, strong, confident list of dives because it could have gone the wrong way. I could have been caught up in the emotions, I could have got nervous, and made mistakes, but no, it’s a good performance, and I’m proud of myself.”
12-year journey
Looking back on his 12-year journey in the sport, Knight-Wisdom spoke with gratitude and a sense of fulfillment. “I’ve had some unbelievable experiences and figured out what it takes to push yourself to the highest level of sport,” he said. “Hopefully, you inspire a lot of people to try to do the same because it’s not about your body shape, it’s not about your body type—it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, you can do whatever you want as long as you put the work in.”
As Knight-Wisdom bids farewell to competitive diving, he leaves behind a legacy of resilience, determination, and inspiration. He reached the final of the 1m springboard event at the FINA World Championships in Gwangju, Korea, where he ended fifth, and was second in the 1m springboard event scoring 429.90 points at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
His journey, marked by highs and lows, serves as a testament to the power of perseverance in the face of adversity. As he steps away from the sport, Knight-Wisdom takes with him a treasure trove of memories, experiences, and friendships that will continue to inspire future generations.
