Loudy Wiggins

Loudy Wiggins (born Tourky) (born July 7, 1979) is an Australian diver.

She was born in Haifa, Israel and is of a Palestinian background. She was born to Butros and Afaf Tourky. They came to Australia when Loudy was three. Loudy has commented, "I will always have a bond with Palestine. My life is here but it’s in the back of my mind".

Wiggins said she thinks of herself as 100 per cent Australian, although her family stays close to relatives in the Middle East. "All of my immediate family is in Australia, and everyone else back home is safe - we're in contact with them. We keep them updated with my results."

Wiggins was an elite gymnast with the Australian Institute of Sport before switching to diving at the suggestion of her physiotherapist. She began diving at age 12.

Wiggins first competed when she was only 17 in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics where she finished a respectable 19th.

Wiggins first came in into the spotlight in a major way when she won bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics 10m synchronised platform. By winning this she became the first Australian to win an Olympic medal in diving in 76 years (the last being Dick Eve in 1924) and the first Olympic medalist for an Australian female diver ever (along with Rebecca Gilmore).

At the 2001 World Championships she won bronze in the 10m Platform, becoming only the third Australian ever to win a diving medal since the championships began in 1973. She won bronze in the FINA World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka in 2001. She was named Female Australian Diver of the Year for 2001. (Australian Diving 2001).

A year later, she won the nationals. That same year she won gold in the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games in 10m diving. She actually considered this a greater achievement as it was a medal she won all on her own.

In 2003 she became the first diver to win gold in the same event at the three CAN-AM-MEX FINA Diving Grand Prix. She won the 10m platform and the 10m synchro in Canada, America and Mexico. She also became the first diver in history to win gold in the same events at three consecutive FINA Diving Grands Prix. Loudy is a very tough competitor and showed tremendous courage to win silver in the 10m Synchro and finish 5th in the 10m Platform at the 2003 World Championships in Spain despite tearing a triceps on the first day of competition. At the end of the 2003 Grand Prix circuit Loudy finished ranked number one in the world. She finished 2nd in the World Championships 10m synchronised diving. Also in 2003, she was named 2003 Sydney University Sports Woman of the Year and also won the Magpie Wests Ashfield Award.

In 2004, after finishing 2nd in the World Cup 10m, Loudy won bronze by herself in the 10m diving at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Another highlight of her career, becoming the first Australian diver to win more than one medal.

On the 18 of July 2005 in Montreal, Loudy won a siver medal with Chantelle Newbery at the FINA World Championships in the 10m synchronised diving. On the 22nd she won silver in the individual diving.

A week to go before the 2006 Commonwealth Games, she injured her ankle and it seemed she may be denied diving in front of her home city. Refusing to give up, she fought the pain and won gold in the 10m synchronised with Chantelle Newbery, adding new legend to her great courage and determination. The very next night, she defended her Commonwealth Games Gold in a close contest. Despite having many close dives through the night, she managed to make it to first place on her last dive (the final dive of the night) in a very emotional performance.

Wiggins had her sights set on the Beijing 2008 Olympics, but a calf injury suffered during the Olympics selection trials on April 13, 2008 ended her Olympic aspirations. [http://www.theage.com.au/news/beijing2008/olympic-dream-over/2008/04/13/1208024989936.html]

Away from her demanding training schedule Wiggins has completed a degree in Media and Communications. Given the demands on today’s elite athletes this is a remarkable commitment and a true reflection of Loudy's dedication to succeed on and off the platform.

Trivia

* Posed nude for the February 2006 issue of Black+White Magazine.
* Was photographed with Dick Eve's medal by his son before she won her bronze in Sydney.
* Is married to Carlton AFL Australian rules football player Simon Wiggins.
* Went to Mansfield State High School; the same school that fellow Australian divers Matthew Mitcham, Sharlene Stratton and Scott Robertson attended (graduated in 1997).
* Was Head Diving Coach at PLC Aquatic Centre from August 2007, but had to stop due to training committments.
* Has changed her surname to Wiggins.

External links

* [http://media.smh.com.au/?rid=18015 Athlete Interview: Diver Loudy Tourky (Video)]
* [http://www.sportsbureau.com.au/profiles/LoudyTourky.htm Sports Bureau Promotions profile]
* [http://www.olympics.com.au/TheTeam/LoudyWiggins/tabid/275/Default.aspx?link=275&tabid=110& Australian Olympic Team profile]
* [http://loudytourky.markcorben.com/ A Loudy forum]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/celeb2/loudytourkey Adam's Loudy Tourky site]