Olympic diver Anton Down-Jenkins turns in his speedo, but luckily for us, he’s staying near the pool
A post shared by Anton Down-Jenkins (@antonjenkins)Down-Jenkins, 24, last competed at the World Championships in Japan — his first trip back to the country since the 2020 Games.
Though he didn’t take home any medals, he savored the experience.“Far from the performance i was hoping for, but that’s sport!” he posted on Instagram. “Glad to be back on the world stage.”A post shared by Anton Down-Jenkins (@antonjenkins)A post shared by Anton Down-Jenkins (@antonjenkins)A post shared by Anton Down-Jenkins (@antonjenkins)While Down-Jenkins will no longer be competing, he isn’t walking away from the sport.
The legendary UNC diver is returning to the program as a graduate assistant for the 2023-24 season. “I really do love passing on my knowledge and because the feeling of diving is so fresh,” he told the Daily Tar Heel, “I feel like it lets me provide an athlete perspective through the coaching role.”Down-Jenkins knows the power of strong coaching first-hand.
He credits UNC’s head diving coach, Yadiel Gamboa, with helping him get through the Tokyo Games. New Zealand’s first Olympic diver in 37 years, Down-Jenkins says he felt like an imposter at the Games, despite diving since he was a teenager.
