Big-bodied teen diver at edge of the diving board shatters stereotypes when he leaps
With his incredible diving abilities, a 14-year-old diver from Arizona is showing the world that nothing is impossible.
Zeke Sanchez is shown in a now-viral TikTok video standing on a diving board in the sun, raising his arms, and then doing a stunning backward flip. A clean tuck and a complete mid-air twist follow the incredible move.
His diving skills are jaw-dropping.
Millions of people have seen Zeke’s dives on TikTok alone. And it didn’t take long for news organizations like SportsCenter, ESPN, and Barstool Sports to acknowledge his talent and broadcast his clips.
Zeke receives a lot of acclaim from users online on Instagram, where his diving videos are also frequently uploaded.
The videos spread like wildfire.
“It is really phenomenal,” the diver exclaimed. “Seeing the positive responses makes me really happy because I think anyone can do anything if you put your mind to it.”
Zeke posted a video of his attempted dive in 2018 on Instagram, and it received over 180,000 views. A sports website took it up, but Zeke wasn’t mentioned. The teenager resumed posting diving videos because he felt it would be nice to garner attention once more. This time, his efforts were even more successful.
He thinks that it breaks the stereotype.
“They’ve never really seen a kid like my size able to do something like that before. But I think that if you really want to try and do something, if you put your mind to it, that you could do it,” he shared.
His proud dad, Freddie Sanchez, remarked, “People see these really small men or women doing these really great things. I don’t think they expect to see someone a larger size doing those things. But Zeke has a lot of heart.”
Indeed, all his efforts paid off.
“The things he does are not easy, it takes a lot of effort. Zeke is very dedicated,” his father continued. “Not just to sport, but to everything.”
Zeke’s sudden rise to fame does not come without a downside. Critics would make offensive remarks about his physique, but these just served to motivate him to do better.
The hateful remarks didn’t stop him.
“He is a strong individual and he is able to use it as motivation to keep going,” Zeke’s mom, Anjanette Sanchez, said. “I give him a lot of credit for his attitude.”
View this post on Instagram
Despite the negative comments, Zeke remains to be positive. He uses them as an inspiration to work and train harder.
Zeke started diving at the age of 8.
“I really really liked it,” Zeke recounted. “I was like, ‘Mom, I don’t want to do water polo. I want to keep diving.'” Zeke is presently training from coach Lauren Lopez at the East Valley Dive Club in Mesa, Arizona.
“I really love the atmosphere and the teammates,” he fondly shared. “We always have a lot of fun and we are really supportive of each other.”
View this post on Instagram
He is unstoppable.
Following his participation in the 2022 Arizona Regionals, Zeke will face a national qualification as his next challenge. The best 10 divers will then proceed to the national competition.
Zeke has received a lot of attention online, but the actor Adam Devine’s reply struck him the most. The actor commented and said, “I have a new life hero.”
“I didn’t think I would be someone’s hero. I felt so happy that so many people can see how hard I work, to see what I do,” Zeke explained.
See the video below to witness Zeke’s inspiring story.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
Source: Positive Outlooks