Yona Knight-Wisdom, a three-time Olympic diver, has dedicated his life to promoting the sport in Jamaica. His brainchild, the Dive with Yona summer camp, has become a beacon of hope for youngsters across the island.

This year’s camp received a significant boost with the arrival of American-based teenager Sophie Bruce, who has joined forces with Knight-Wisdom to provide expert coaching and inspiration to young divers.

The two-week programme, which began on August 11, is designed to nurture the talents of aspiring divers, culminating in a final display and competition on August 23.

Knight-Wisdom started the camp in 2023 as a way to give back to Jamaica, the country he represented admirably. Born in England, Knight-Wisdom chose to dive for Jamaica 13 years ago and has since become a trailblazer for the sport in the Caribbean.

“I didn’t want to just retire and give nothing back to the nation,” Knight-Wisdom told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday at Independence Park’s National Aquatic Centre.

“I chose to represent Jamaica 13 years ago, and without Jamaica, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve all the things in my diving career. I’m grateful for that. I want to make sure that I contribute to the development of sport in Jamaica, starting with diving,” he further said.

The addition of Bruce to the camp has been a game-changer. Her expertise and experience have been invaluable to the young divers, who have benefited greatly from her guidance.

“I have been helping teach the younger ones,” said Bruce, who attends Albert Einstein High School in Kensington, Maryland.

“The experience is very fun because I have had minor coaching experience in the past, but it’s different here in Jamaica. First of all, these kids have never heard of diving until Yona had put something out there, and so it’s really fun to teach something about the basics… It’s been really fun for me, and it’s definitely been a learning process. When I’m coaching, to look over to my right and see an Olympian just standing there, also coaching, is just amazing,” the 15-year-old said.

The partnership between Knight-Wisdom and Bruce has been mutually beneficial. While Bruce has brought her expertise to the camp, she has also learned from Knight-Wisdom’s experience and Olympic-level coaching.

“It has taught me a lot about myself because I can improve as a diver and also as a person to learn about other people in the process while I am coaching,” Bruce said.

Knight-Wisdom, who had completed at the 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics, echoed Bruce’s sentiments.

“Having Sophie here is awesome. She has been great. She’s actually been helping me coach the younger ones, and they’ve learned so much from her. She obviously got enough diving experience to be able to give the information, and so I haven’t had to instruct her or guide her too much.

“She has just been taking it on herself to share the advice she needs to share with the divers and some of them I heard at the end saying that without her they wouldn’t have learned some of the skills that they have been able to do which is really cool,” the 30-year-old Knight-Wisdom said.

The collaboration between Knight-Wisdom and Bruce has been mutually beneficial. While Bruce has brought her expertise to the camp, Knight-Wisdom has also been able to provide her with valuable feedback and guidance.

“After the sessions, Sophie has gotten into the water, which is a chance for me to watch her and give her some tips on how I think she can improve as a diver as well. It was good to make that connection, and I hope it’s something we can build on going forward,” he said.

The Dive with Yona summer camp is more than just a training programme – it’s a vital step towards developing diving in Jamaica. Knight-Wisdom’s vision is to create a sustainable diving program that can continue to grow and develop in the years to come.

“I want to leave a legacy that will live on after my diving career. I want to support minority sports like diving to grow and develop, and I’m excited to see where this journey takes us,” he affirmed.

As the Dive with Yona summer camp continues to grow and evolve, one thing is clear: the future of diving in Jamaica is bright. With Knight-Wisdom at the helm and the much-talked-about Bruce lending her expertise, the sport is poised to reach new heights.

Jamaica’s retired diving ace Yona Knight-Wisdom (left) talks to American-based Jamaican diver Sophie Bruce at the National Aquatic Centre on August 14, 2025. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)