Yona Knight-Wisdom

Yona Roshen Knight-Wisdom (born 12 May 1995) is a diver. Born in England, he represents Jamaica internationally. He competed at the 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics. He placed 2nd in the 1 metre springboard event at the 2019 Pan American Games. He was the first Jamaican male diver and first Caribbean male diver at an Olympic Games.

Yona Knight-Wisdom

Personal information
Full name	Yona Roshen Knight-Wisdom
Nationality	British, Jamaican
Born	(1995-05-12) 12 May 1995 (age 30) Leeds, England, UK
Height	190 cm (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Weight	90 kg (198 lb)[1]
Sport
Country	Jamaica
Sport	Diving
Medal record Men's diving Representing  Jamaica Pan American Games 2019 Lima 1 m springboard

Early life

Knight-Wisdom was born in Leeds, England. His father, Trevor Wisdom, is from Jamaica and his mother, Grace Knight, is from Barbados.^[1] Knight-Wisdom studied at Leeds Grammar School, and is a graduate of Leeds Beckett University, where he studied sport and exercise science.^[2][3][1]

Diving career

Knight-Wisdom's diving career began in 2004; he has said that he took up the sport after seeing it at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.^[4] He started diving for City of Leeds Diving club along with British divers Jack Laugher, Chris Mears, Rebecca Gallantree and Alicia Blagg.^[2] Knight-Wisdom has said of himself that "I am a 190 cm tall, 90 kg heavy, black diver... Watch a diving event and that is not something you will see very often."^[1][5]

International career

In 2012, Knight-Wisdom decided to represent Jamaica in international competition; he had been eligible to compete for Barbados or Great Britain, but had struggled to get in the British team.^[5][6] Knight-Wisdom competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, making him Jamaica's first-ever male Commonwealth diving competitor;^[a] Knight-Wisdom finished fifth in the 1 metre springboard event, and eleventh in the 3 metre springboard event.^[9][10] He competed at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships.^[11]

Knight-Wisdom placed 2nd at the 2016 FINA Diving World Cup, which also qualified him for the 2016 Summer Olympics.^[12] He was named Leeds Beckett University Sportsman of the Year for 2016.^[13]

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Knight-Wisdom became the first male Jamaican diver at the Olympics, as well as the first male diver from any Caribbean nation.^{[3][12][5][b]}

Knight-Wisdom came in 2nd in the 1 metre springboard event at the 2019 Pan American Games.^[14] He competed in the 3 metre springboard event at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He finished 15th in the semi-final, and did not progress to the final.^[15] He competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games where he placed 5th in the Men's 1 metre springboard event^[16] and 6th in the Men's 3 metre springboard event.^[17]

Knight-Wisdom competed in the 3 metre springboard event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.^[18]

Personal life

Knight-Wisdom lives and trains in Edinburgh.^[18]

Notes

1. Betsy Sullivan competed for Jamaica in the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.^[7][8]
2. Betsy Sullivan competed for Jamaica in the 1972 Olympic Women's 3 metre springboard.^[4]