After being bullied, national champion stands up for gay athletes

[Guest reader]

From Outsports.com

Jordan Windle is straight but has a gay dad. Now with Greg Louganis’ help, he’s aiming for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Jordan Windle is a diver at the Univ. of Texas and is focused on making the United States Olympic team and competing in Tokyo. Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Jordan Windle has been around gay people almost all of his life. Having been adopted from Cambodia at 18 months by Jerry Windle, the national-champion diver has, as a straight athlete at the top of his sport, become a defender and champion of the LGBTQ community.

On the latest episode of the Five Rings To Rule Them All podcast, I talk with Jordan and Jerry about the young star’s rise, and his personal and professional friendship with Olympic champion Greg Louganis. The similarities between the two — both adopted, both young diving proteges — have led some to call Jordan “Little Louganis.”

Also, Jerry gives us insight into the life of the parent of an elite athlete and how Jordan was “discovered” by a diving coach when he was just a kid. Plus they talk about the added complications of being of different races, especially when Jordan was a boy and didn’t fully understand what that was.

Now Jordan is competing for the Univ. of Texas, where he has won multiple NCAA championships and set an NCAA scoring record. Now back on campus in Austin, he talks about the disappointment of the delay of his Olympic dreams and how he’s prepping for Tokyo next year.

You can listen to the conversation with Jordan Windle and his dad, Jerry, on the Megaphone player, or by visiting Spotify for an easy browser player. Five Rings To Rule Them All is also available on Google Podcasts, Apple podcasts and many more platforms. Just search for Outsports wherever you get your podcast.

And be sure to follow Five Rings To Rule Them All on Twitter.

https://www.outsports.com/2020/9/15/21433902/jordan-windle-dive-texas-usa-olympic-diver

[Guest reader]

As I followed the links in the above article, I zeroed in on the Twitter feeds. It was then that I discovered what a truly remarkable and inspiring story the life of Jordan Windle really is. It left me with the feelings I remembered from the rescue of the 13 footballers from the cave in Thailand.

If there was ever a time in my life that I could use some inspiration, this is one of those times and this is ones of those stories that's providing it.

Continues with Jordan's account of his life from an orphanage in Cambodia to discovering diving in Fort Lauderdale and beyond. Wonderful writing, photos and video.

http://www.jordanwindle.com/mystory.html

[anddy]

Lovely story about his life. The I like the "Love is Love" part best. Simple teaching, but vey effective in this great human being.

Unfortunately, Jordan discontinued his blog and the story in 2013/14. 

[TotallyOz]

Beautiful story.