100 Olympic Athletes To Watch

Beijing 2008

86. Laura Wilkinson

By ALICE PARK
Harry How / Getty
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Diving
United States
Age: 30

Chinese favored divers should take note—never count Wilkinson out. The Texas native's surprising gold medal win at the 2000 Sydney Games in the 10m platform came with a broken right foot and a battle up from eighth place. In qualifying for her third Games last month, Wilkinson again got off to a shaky start but plunged to a round of perfect 10s in the finals. She'll be competing with a heart-stopping backward 3.5 somersault pike—and hoping that the third time is the charm.

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