American diver Alison Gibson endured a nightmarish start Wednesday during the preliminary round of the women’s 3m springboard, when her feet collided with the board on the first dive, resulting in a score of 0.0.
Moments after the launch, Gibson — in a tucked position with her legs straight out — performed flips in the air before hitting the board.
Upon landing in the water, her performance was registered as a non-dive.
“Obviously, today didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but I think you can learn and grow from every experience, and I truly hope that the next generation of athletes recognize that even in the worst moments you can keep fighting, you can walk courageously,” said Gibson, who completed her final four dives and finished last in the competition.
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The Texas native, making her second Olympic appearance, said she “bruised my right heel” and “definitely was in pain.”
“I hit my heels and my feet on the board,” she said, according to Reuters. “I have cuts along the sides, and then I bruised my right heel pretty good, but I was determined to keep going.”
Judges take in divers’ starting position, take-off, flight and entry into the water. According to NBC’s Olympics website, the athletes in springboard competitions are also tasked to perform in the categories of forward, backward, reverse, inward and twisting.
Although Gibson concluded the day with a score of 198.30 and did not advance to the semifinals, withdrawing was never an option.
“One thing that I say is I hope that anyone who is watching just was able to see what it looks like to get up and keep going even when things don’t go the way you want them to. It’s about the fight,” said Gibson, who contemplated retirement following a last-place finish in the synchronized springboard event at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
In a message shared Thursday on Instagram, Gibson declared that she will not let this moment “define” her.
“Our worth is not defined by one painful moment. I am who I am because of the journey it took to get here. And I will not let the shame and pain of this moment define me and my worth,” she posted.
“My faith has been challenged a lot through this and I don’t understand why God would let this happen to me as I have walked so faithfully with him over the past year, but I know his plans are greater than mine and it is not my duty to understand them.
“My heart and my body hurt, but I know that this competition does not and will not define me. If you have a moment when you feel like all is lost, don’t give up hope. You are beautifully and wonderfully made.”
