August 5, 2021
'Little Louganis' Jordan Windle Ready for his Olympic Dive
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
American Olympic diver Jordan Windle – dubbed "Little Louganis" for the famed out athlete who mentored him – is ready for his shot at Olympic gold. His gay single dad, Jerry Windle, will be cheering him on.
"After placing second at the Olympic trials in June, the University of Texas at Austin senior will compete in the men's 10-meter platform preliminary at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday," Aug. 6, NBC News reported.
"The 22-year-old diver, who was adopted at 18 months old from Cambodia by a single gay American man, has spent the last 15 years preparing for this moment."
The story recalled how Windle, "who was the youngest person to ever qualify for the Olympic diving trials at age 12," got his start in the sport at the age of 7 when he attended "an aquatics summer camp in South Florida." It was at that camp that he drew the notice of Tim O'Brien, who, NBC News recalled, is "the son of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame diving coach Ron O'Brien," who was also Greg Louganis' coach.
Louganis ended up mentoring the young athlete, and the comparison between the two endures to this day.
On the flight to Tokyo for this year's summer Olympics, Windle told NBC, he was "sitting there super anxious and was actually shaking a little bit" with apprehension.
"But the first day I got in the pool, all those nerves kind of disappeared, because in my mind and in my heart it felt like I was meant to be here," the talented young athlete added.
NBC detailed how Windle "was bullied as a child for having a gay father 'and just being different in general,' " part of which was his Cambodian heritage. Now, though, he's "something of a hero in his homeland, and the first diver of Cambodian descent to compete in the Games." He also has legions of American fans.
Being the son of a single gay dad – who, as previously reported at EDGE, went to Cambodia to adopt a child after having little success in the United States – Windle is a "longtime ally to the LGBTQ community," who "uses his platform to educate and encourage others to support marginalized people and was part of the "It Gets Better" anti-bullying campaign when he was younger."
Last month, in comments to NBC Sports, Windle shared words of love and gratitude for his gay dad. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him, his love and support," the diver related. "He's always there for me, calling me. I'd give him anything, and I'm sure he'd do the same."
As for dad Jerry, he will be there to support his son, cheering from the stands.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
