Melissa Wu (diver)
Encyclopedia
Melissa Paige Wu is an Australian diver
who has won silver medals at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships
, the 2006 Commonwealth Games
and the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Her father is of Chinese
descent.
Wu began diving only in 2003 . After winning a number of junior and state titles in 2004 and 2005, her first big breakthrough came with a win in the 10m platform at the Australian Open Diving Championships in 2006 where she finished ahead of Olympic medallists Chantelle Newbery
and Loudy Tourky
. The win earned her a place on the Commonwealth Games team where she won a silver medal on the synchronised 10m platform with Alexandra Croak
and finished fifth in the individual 10m platform.
In 2007, she defended her 10m platform title at the Australian Open and was selected for the World Championships where she won silver in the synchronised 10m platform and finished 11th in the individual event.
In 2008, along with Briony Cole
, Wu won a Silver Medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing for the synchronized 10m platform
, becoming the youngest Australian ever in history to win an Olympic medal in diving. She also competed in the Women's 10 metre platform, making it into the finals, ending up ranked sixth out of twelve competitors. At age 16 she has medalled in every major international diving competition.
In 2010 at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, Wu won a gold medal in the synchronised 10m platform with her partner Alexandra Croak
and a silver medal in the women's 10m individual.
Wu attended Coverdale Christian School for her primary education then during her high school education she attended Christian Outreach College Brisbane
, until 2008 where she at the end of grade 9 took on home schooling, Brisbane school of distance education (BSDE). She is currently completing a Bachelor of Media at Macquarie University, Sydney.
Country music singer John Williamson
wrote and recorded a song about Wu called "Little Swallow, Baby Wu" during the sessions for his "Hillbilly Road" album. The song has yet to see an official release.
Wu is Australia's youngest Olympic diver.
Wu lives in Sydney
. She is the cousin of Australian Rugby 7's player, James Stannard, and she is the second cousin of Australian hurdler Jana Rawlinson
.
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...
who has won silver medals at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships
2007 World Aquatics Championships
The 2007 World Aquatics Championships or the XII FINA World Championships were held in Melbourne, Australia from 17 March to 1 April 2007...
, the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
and the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Her father is of Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
descent.
Wu began diving only in 2003 . After winning a number of junior and state titles in 2004 and 2005, her first big breakthrough came with a win in the 10m platform at the Australian Open Diving Championships in 2006 where she finished ahead of Olympic medallists Chantelle Newbery
Chantelle Newbery
Chantelle Lee Newbery is an Australian diver, and olympic champion. Her first international success was at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships in Perth, Australia, where she won a bronze medal in the 3m Springboard event...
and Loudy Tourky
Loudy Tourky
Loudy Wiggins 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...
. The win earned her a place on the Commonwealth Games team where she won a silver medal on the synchronised 10m platform with Alexandra Croak
Alex Croak
Alexandra Croak is an Australian diver and gymnast who is a dual Olympic representative...
and finished fifth in the individual 10m platform.
In 2007, she defended her 10m platform title at the Australian Open and was selected for the World Championships where she won silver in the synchronised 10m platform and finished 11th in the individual event.
In 2008, along with Briony Cole
Briony Cole
Briony Cole is an Australian diver who won a gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, silver and bronze medals at the 2007 World Championships and a silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, and a bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.As a child, Cole competed in gymnastics, which led her...
, Wu won a Silver Medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing for the synchronized 10m platform
Diving at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's synchronized 10 metre platform
Women's synchronized 10 metre platform competition at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics took place on August 12 at the Beijing National Aquatics Center....
, becoming the youngest Australian ever in history to win an Olympic medal in diving. She also competed in the Women's 10 metre platform, making it into the finals, ending up ranked sixth out of twelve competitors. At age 16 she has medalled in every major international diving competition.
In 2010 at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, Wu won a gold medal in the synchronised 10m platform with her partner Alexandra Croak
Alex Croak
Alexandra Croak is an Australian diver and gymnast who is a dual Olympic representative...
and a silver medal in the women's 10m individual.
Wu attended Coverdale Christian School for her primary education then during her high school education she attended Christian Outreach College Brisbane
Christian Outreach College Brisbane
Christian Outreach College Brisbane is now known as Citipointe Christian College the Christian Outreach College Brisbane, a Christian independent day school located in Carindale, Queensland. The school has a population of around 1700 students from preparatory to Year 12, including students in the...
, until 2008 where she at the end of grade 9 took on home schooling, Brisbane school of distance education (BSDE). She is currently completing a Bachelor of Media at Macquarie University, Sydney.
Country music singer John Williamson
John Williamson (singer)
John Robert Williamson AM is an Australian country music singer-songwriter. Williamson has released over thirty-two albums, ten videos, five DVDs, and two lyric books...
wrote and recorded a song about Wu called "Little Swallow, Baby Wu" during the sessions for his "Hillbilly Road" album. The song has yet to see an official release.
Wu is Australia's youngest Olympic diver.
Wu lives in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. She is the cousin of Australian Rugby 7's player, James Stannard, and she is the second cousin of Australian hurdler Jana Rawlinson
Jana Rawlinson
Jana Pittman-Rawlinson is an Australian athlete, who specialises in the 400 metres run and 400 metre hurdles events. She is a two-time world champion in the 400 m hurdles, from 2003 and 2007...
.