Best of Sports, Diving: Malcolm Thompson, Mt. Lebanon
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Since plunging into the pool, Malcolm Thompson has enjoyed more success in diving than football. A few years ago, he gave up the latter in favor of the former.
At age 10, Thompson became enthralled with diving while watching one of the lifeguards at the outdoor swim center where he trained with the Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club. However, he was also enjoying success on the gridiron. As a freshman, he was a wide receiver and cornerback on the team that won WPIAL and PIAA championships in 2021.
However, encouraged by coaches telling him he had “so much potential” in diving because of the spring in his leap, Thompson jumped into diving. He joined both the Pitt Competitive Diving Club and the Mt. Lebanon High School team.
His career took off so quickly that he has been named diving MVP for the second time.
As a sophomore last year, Malcolm finished fifth in the WPIAL, scoring 402.50 points. This year, as a junior, he showed marked improvement.
Thompson won a bronze medal during the WPIAL Class 3A boys championships Feb. 24 at North Allegheny High School with a 473.20 score. A back one-and-one-half dive with a half twist clinched his spot on the podium as well as a berth in the PIAA championships.
“I have been wanting to go to states for a long time,” he said. “So by keeping my dives consistent, I was able to finish third.”
At the state meet held March 13-14 at Bucknell University, that same consistency earned Thompson another spot on the podium. He garnered an eighth-place medal.
“Malcolm had a great year,” said Lebo coach Tom Donati.
The season also included several record-breaking performances. Thompson set pool diving records at Upper St. Clair as well as Mt. Lebanon.
“Malcolm is just a great kid,” Donati said. “He’s worked hard and to think just a couple of years ago he was playing football, but we told him, ‘you can be special here.’ Every meet, he’s just gotten better. When people watch him they remark, ‘Wow. He is talented.’ Malcolm is very athletic.”
Thompson is also a talented musician. He plays the double bass in the high school orchestra. He also performs with a hip-hop orchestra in Oakland.
Oh and he also finds time to run cross country and compete on the track team.