British diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix expressed her gratitude for simply waking up on the morning of her diving final after enduring a challenging period of mental health, despite missing out on a second Olympic medal.
The 19-year-old, who secured a bronze medal last week in the synchronised 10-metre platform alongside Lois Toulson, finished sixth in the individual final on Tuesday afternoon. Spendolini-Sirieix clarified that her tears upon leaving the pool were not related to her performance.
“This morning, my initial thought was: ‘I’m just happy to be awake,’ and that’s how I’ve felt for quite some time,” she shared. “I’m thankful to be alive and to share this experience with my family. I’m genuinely not disappointed with my performance or my placement. My competitors simply performed better today. It only means I have more to work on.”
Spendolini-Sirieix, who was the youngest diver on the Team GB squad during the Tokyo Olympics, initially expressed the desire to leave the sport after those Games, although she had not fully revealed the extent of her struggles.
She reflected: “Three years ago, I felt like I didn’t want to continue living, so today I’m just glad to be alive, breathing, and supported by my family …
“Post-Tokyo, I went through a very frightening phase, which is why I now cherish each morning as if it’s a gift when I wake up.
“I’m grateful for the essentials: food on the table, water to drink, and a roof over my head. Sometimes, we must remember that an Olympic medal isn’t everything; we have to appreciate what we often take for granted. There are many struggles that people face, even if they go unnoticed.”
Spendolini-Sirieix, whose father Fred is the maître d’ on the TV show *First Dates* and is in Paris as part of the BBC commentary team, secured her spot in the final by finishing third in the semi-finals on Monday.
A solid opening dive had her briefly in contention for a medal, placing her in fourth, but she gradually fell behind as the Chinese divers Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi, who claimed gold in the synchronised event, demonstrated their skills.
Quan’s opening dive was deemed perfect, earning her a full 90 points. A new term has even emerged in China to describe her technique, known as the “water splash disappearance technique,” and it’s easy to understand why.
A modest pebble would have stirred up more water than the small splash made by her first dive, which included three and a half somersaults, with her high standards upheld in the subsequent four dives.
Quan and Chen secured the first and second spots, with North Korea’s Kim Mi-rae taking home the bronze. China has now achieved victory in all five diving events held at the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis.
After her final dive, one of her better performances, Spendolini-Sirieix was visibly emotional and received comfort from her mother.
“My mum told me to keep smiling and expressed her pride in me, saying they were there to support me. Ultimately, that’s all that matters to me.
“I’m thrilled to be here at the Olympic Games. It’s been a challenging year, and my missing out on one medal doesn’t diminish my achievements. It’s just God’s way of saying I have more to strive for, and I give all the glory to God.”
