Blake Aldridge
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Blake Aldridge |
| Born |
4 August 1982 London, UK |
| Residence | London, UK |
| Height | 167 cm (5 ft 6 in) |
| Sport | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Event(s) | 10m, 10m synchro |
| Club | Crystal Palace Diving Club |
| Former partner(s) | Tom Daley |
Blake Aldridge (born 4 August 1982) is a British synchronised diver, who dives for The Crystal Palace Diving Club.
Biography
During the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics he took part in the Men's 10m Synchronised event.[1] Aldridge and his diving partner, Tom Daley, finished in eighth position in the final in an event dominated by the Chinese who claimed the gold. He criticised Tom Daley during the competition, which subsequently resulted in Aldridge himself being criticised.
Aldridge attended Stanley Technical High School for Boys in South Norwood London.
Aldridge's original synchro partner Gavin Brown was killed in a hit-and-run collision in Southampton on 28 April 2007.[2]
In February 2009, Daley's father, Rob, told BBC Devon, "If it was up to me, Tom would get a new partner".[3] Shortly afterwards it was announced that Daley would be diving with Max Brick.
In May 2009 Aldridge paid an £80 police fixed penalty for shoplifting at B&Q.[4]
On 19 February 2010, Aldridge was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting wine and causing actual bodily harm to a male security guard at a Tesco store in Croydon, Greater London. In August 2010 the case against him was dismissed.[5]
In July 2010, Aldridge won the European Cliff Diving Championships for the second year running, scoring 136.475 points, 38 points ahead of the next highest scoring dive.[6] He also triumphed in 2011, beating Ukraine's Anatolii Shabotencko by over 60 points (372.325 vs 310.175).[7]
He has had injury problems early in his career, notably detached retinas from a bad dive which required laser surgery[8]
References
- ↑ Athlete Biography, Beijing Olympics results site
- ↑ "Gavin Brown Killed". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- ↑ BBC Sport Olympics'
- ↑ "Tom Daley's Olympic diving partner Blake Aldridge fined over 'shoplifting'", The Times, 16 May 2009
- ↑ "Blake Aldridge wants career back after being cleared of assault" Daily Telegraph 18 August 2010 Retrieved 13 October 2010
- ↑ "Aldridge triumphs at Cliff Diving championships" The Guardian, 27 July 2010
- ↑ http://www.whdf.com/results/2011%20results_Ponte%20Brolla.pdf
- ↑ http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/diving-from-diy-to-dynamic-duo-aldridge-refuses-to-bask-in-reflected-glory-799538.html