Kyle Kothari, a British-Asian diver from North West London, defied expectations by competing at the 2024 Olympic Games after numerous world championship wins; he explains how he got there in a captivating interview.
Kyle’s sporting career began at a young age with his passion for gymnastics - by age 11, he was on the national GB Junior Gymnastics team.
His route into professional diving was less conventional: a leaflet went around his school asking people to try out at the Crystal Palace Diving Club. Kyle was one of four selected out of 70,000 applicants.
Kyle describes his transition to diving as something he “fell into – basically going for one session and really enjoying it”.
In truth, happenstance had little to do with his stratospheric success. When asked what was key to his selection, Kyle said that “they are looking for certain personality traits along with physical attributes”.
He added that “without the mentality of top-level sports people, you’ll just be the super talented kid who never made it.” Kyle credits his calmness as essential to withstand the pressure of elite sports.
Alongside physical talent and mental strength, Kyle recognised support from his parents and school as vital elements during his teenage years. He stressed that families “really have to immerse themselves in a different kind of world.” He also credited coaches as “facilitators all the way”.
Like many athletes, Kyle is no stranger to sacrifices – upon reflection, he admitted that having a school attendance rate as low as 24% and completing a university degree while travelling the world was not easy.
But he has “no regrets looking back” - for him, nothing has come close to matching the adrenaline of diving on the world stage.
Kyle described some of his major injuries as “tough” moments. He suffered an Achilles tendon rupture in 2019, and a second one in 2021, dashing his hopes of competing in the Tokyo Olympics. He became one of very few divers to compete in an Olympic event after two Achilles ruptures.
Kyle characterised his career at the time as a big “unknown” but identified “the perseverance [he] had to come back to the sport” as one of his proudest moments.
In a message to children considering a career in sport, Kyle highlighted the importance of “bravery and perseverance and being able to deal with criticism”. His journey, particularly as an Asian in the world of aquatic sport, was unique: he recalls times when his parents were routinely ignored by others at his events.
But, like him, they had the courage to take a leap into the unknown. Time and again, despite significant challenges, Kyle has confounded his fans by transforming those leaps into near-perfect plunges into the water below him. He promises to continue to fascinate.
We wish him the best for 2028!
“The Perfect Dive,” a short film featuring Kyle, is available on YouTube.
