It was at 7 years old as David Boudia was watching the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games that he decided to be an Olympian. After years of training, his dream came true in 2008 when he competed at the Beijing Olympics, and then later won a Gold and Bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, and most recently another Silver and Bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games. With 21 National titles and 4 Olympic medals, David Boudia is the top 10-meter platform diver in the U.S. and one of the best in the world, in both the individual 10-meter and synchronized 10-meter events.
He began his diving career at age 11 in 2000. He has stated that “a dive from the great height of an Olympic 10-meter platform once petrified him,” but he forced himself to overcome this fear to pursue the sport he loved. By 2005 he was a member of the U.S. National Diving Team. He left public school after 10 th grade and was homeschooled in order to focus on diving and began to compete all over the world as he had an eye on the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
David competed at Purdue University where he broke several records, won numerous titles, and received many elite honors. He finished his college career with six NCAA national titles.
At the 2012 Olympics in London David brought home two medals, including a thrilling final-round performance in the individual 10m platform that won him the Gold medal. He also won Bronze with partner Nick McCrory in the synchronized 10m platform, becoming the first American duo to medal in the event, and the first Olympic medal for the U.S. in men’s diving since the 1996 Games in Atlanta.
David went on to win the Silver medal in the 10-meter synchro at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games with his new partner, Steele Johnson, and brought home the Bronze on the individual 10-meter platform.
Currently, David is the Assistant Diving Coach at Purdue University alongside his longtime coach, Adam Soldati. David openly references his religious beliefs and his strong faith plays a big part in his life. In 2012 he married his college sweetheart, Sonnie Brand, and completed his degree at Purdue. David and his wife have four children, Dakoda, Mila, Knox, and Parker.