Pete Desjardins

{{Short description|American diver (1907–1985)}}

{{use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name =

| image = Arne Borg, Pete Desjardins, Johnny Weismuller 1926.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Desjardins in 1926, flanked by Arne Borg and Johnny Weissmuller

| full_name = Ulise Joseph Desjardins

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1907|4|12}}

| birth_place = St-Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba, Canada

| death_date = {{death date and age|1985|5|6|1907|4|12}}

| death_place = Miami, Florida, U.S.

| height =

| weight =

| sport = Diving

| event =

| club =

| pb =

| alma_mater =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}

{{MedalOlympics}}

{{MedalSilver| 1924 Paris | 3 m springboard}}

{{MedalGold|1928 Amsterdam| 3 m springboard}}

{{MedalGold|1928 Amsterdam| 10 m platform}}

}}

Ulise Joseph "Pete" Desjardins (April 12, 1907 – May 6, 1985) was an American diver who competed in the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/51315 |title=Pete Desjardins |work=Olympedia |access-date=13 October 2021}}

Born in St-Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba, Canada, Desjardins grew up in Florida.{{cite web|title=Pete Desjardins|url=http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/desjardp.shtml|access-date=2007-11-24|publisher=HickokSports.com|archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20020223165359/http%3A//www.hickoksports.com/biograph/desjardp.shtml|archive-date=2002-02-23|url-status=dead}} In 1924 he won the silver medal in the 3 m springboard competition and finished sixth in the plain high diving event. Four years later, he won gold medals in the 3 meter springboard and 10 meter platform.

At the 1928 Games Desjardins had the maximum score for two of his springboard dives, but his platform gold medal was unexpected. Farid Simaika from Egypt initially won the competition, and the Egyptian anthem was already being played at the award ceremony, when the judges reconsidered their scoring and placed Desjardins first.

Desjardins studied economics at Stanford University and is a member of the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame, though he never won a collegiate championship. He performed swimming exhibitions in the Billy Rose's Aquacade, together with Johnny Weissmuller, Martha Norelius and Helen Meany,{{cite book|last=Migdol|first=Gary|title=Stanford: Home of Champions|pages=77|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ntsubst:BDmB_fYo8C&pg=PA5|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|year=1997 |isbn=1-57167-116-1}} for which he was declared a professional. He continued to appear in the Aquacade until World War II, and later performed in diving shows through the 1960s.