Loudy Tourky
Encyclopedia
Loudy Wiggins (born 7 July 1979) is an Australia
n 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 a gymnast
at the Australian Institute of Sport
, then at age 12 began diving at the suggestion of her physiotherapist.
Wiggins finished 19th in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
. She won bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics 10m synchronised platform, becoming the first Australian to win an Olympic medal in diving since Dick Eve
in 1924. She and Rebecca Gilmore
were also the first Australian female Olympic diving medalists in the 2000 games.
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.
Wiggins won first place at an unprecedented three successive CAN-AM-MEX FINA Diving Grand Prix competitions in 2003. 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. She was the Head Diving Coach at PLC Aquatic Centre from August 2007, but had to stop due to training commitments.
Wiggins was training towards the Beijing
2008 Olympics, but a calf injury suffered during the Olympics selection trials on 13 April 2008 ended her Olympic aspirations.
Wiggins has a degree in Media and Communications.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n diver
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
.
She was born in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and is of a Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
background. She was born to Butros and Afaf Tourky. They came to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
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
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. "All of my immediate family is in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and everyone else back home is safe - we're in contact with them. We keep them updated with my results."
Wiggins was a gymnast
Gymnast
Gymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
at the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
, then at age 12 began diving at the suggestion of her physiotherapist.
Wiggins finished 19th in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. She won bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics 10m synchronised platform, becoming the first Australian to win an Olympic medal in diving since Dick Eve
Dick Eve
Richmond Cavill "Dick" Eve was an Australian diver who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics.In 1924 he won the gold medal in the plain high diving competition. He also competed in the 3 metre springboard event and finished fifth.-External links:**...
in 1924. She and Rebecca Gilmore
Rebecca Gilmore
Rebecca Ellen Gilmore is an Australian diver who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics with Loudy Tourky. She also placed 18th in the 3 m springboard competition, and 11th in the 10 m platform....
were also the first Australian female Olympic diving medalists in the 2000 games.
She won bronze in the FINA World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
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
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
in 10m diving.
Wiggins won first place at an unprecedented three successive CAN-AM-MEX FINA Diving Grand Prix competitions in 2003. 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. She was the Head Diving Coach at PLC Aquatic Centre from August 2007, but had to stop due to training commitments.
Wiggins was training towards the Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
2008 Olympics, but a calf injury suffered during the Olympics selection trials on 13 April 2008 ended her Olympic aspirations.
Wiggins has a degree in Media and Communications.
Personal life
- Is married to CarltonCarlton Football ClubThe Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
AFL Australian rules footballAustralian rules footballAustralian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player Simon WigginsSimon WigginsSimon Wiggins is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League .He was recruited as the number 15 draft pick in the 2000 AFL Draft from Glenorchy. He made his debut for the Carlton Football Club in Round 5, 2001 against St Kilda.Wiggins has battled with injury...
.
External links
- Athlete Interview: Diver Loudy Tourky (Video)
- Sports Bureau Promotions profile
- Australian Olympic Team profile
- A Loudy forum
- Adam's Loudy Tourky site