Blake Aldridge

Blake Aldridge (born 4 August 1982) is a British synchronised diver, who dives for The Crystal Palace Diving Club. He is also a professional high diver and cliff diver on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series where he has won 6 podium finishes.

Blake Aldridge
Personal information
Born (1982-08-04) 4 August 1982
Lambeth, London, UK
Height167 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight64 kg (141 lb)
Sport
Country Great Britain
SportSynchronized diving
Event(s)10m, 10m synchro
ClubCrystal Palace Diving Club
Former partner(s)Tom Daley

Biography

Aldridge attended Downsview Primary School in Norbury London and then 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.[1]

During the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics he took part in the Men's 10m Synchronised event[2][3] with his new diving partner, Tom Daley, 12 years his junior. The pair finished in eighth position in the final in an event dominated by the Chinese who claimed the gold. He criticised the 14-year-old Daley during the competition, which subsequently resulted in Aldridge himself being criticised.

In February 2009, Daley's father, Rob, told BBC Devon, "If it was up to me, Tom would get a new partner".[4] 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.[5]

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 when the CCTV was found and played in court.[6]

In July 2009/2010/2011, Aldridge won the European Cliff Diving Championships for 3-year running, scoring 136.475 points, 38 points ahead of the next highest scoring dive.[7] He also triumphed in 2011, beating Ukraine's Anatolii Shabotencko by over 60 points (372.325 vs 310.175).[8]

He has had injury problems early in his career, notably detached retinas from a bad dive which required laser surgery.[9]

References
  1. "Tribute paid as diver killed". thetelegraphandargus.co.uk. Telegraph & Argus. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
  2. "Athlete Biography: Blake Aldridge". Beijing2008.cn. Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games. Archived from the original on 9 August 2008.
  3. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Blake Aldridge". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016.
  4. "Father eyes new partner for Daley". bbc.co.uk. BBC Sport. 7 April 2009.
  5. "Tom Daley's Olympic diving partner Blake Aldridge fined over 'shoplifting'". timesonline.co.uk. The Times. 16 May 2009.
  6. "Blake Aldridge wants career back after being cleared of assault". telegraph.co.uk. The Daily Telegraph. 18 August 2010. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  7. "Aldridge triumphs at Cliff Diving championships". suttonguardian.co.uk. Sutton & Croydon Guardian. 27 July 2010.
  8. "WHDF European Cliff Diving Championship: Ponte Brolla, Switzerland July 23, 2011" (PDF). WHDF.com. World High Diving Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  9. "Diving: From DIY to dynamic duo, Aldridge refuses to bask in reflected glory". Independent.co.uk. The Independent. 23 March 2008.
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