After scoring a 0.0 on one of her Olympic dives, Team USA’s Alison Gibson has spoken out about the embarrassing mistake.
As Gibson attempted a two-and-a-half rotation dive inward, her feet hit the diving board, disrupting her dive and sending her into the water out of shape.
Gibson was lucky not to sustain a serious injury in the misstep, but was spotted on social media after the game wearing a running shoe.
The 25-year-old American was devastated as she left the water with her head in her hands and finished 27th out of 28 divers after the mistake.
Now the Texan is trying to look positively at the diving error.
Team USA diver Alison Gibson scored a 0.0 on a dive after her feet touched the diving board
Instead of bitterness, Gibson tries to take the high road after the dive
“Yesterday it hurt. That was one of the most painful experiences of my life. I asked God so many times why. I was called back to diving a year ago,” Gibson said on her Substack. “I won the national championships. I qualified for the Olympic quota spot at the World Championships. I qualified for the Olympics. I made it this far. Only to have it end in crushing sadness.”
“I put my heart and soul into training. I sacrificed so much. I asked myself what I did to deserve this. I walked diligently and faithfully every step of the way. It doesn’t feel fair,” Gibson continued.
“Despite the fact that the race didn’t go as I had hoped, I set out on this journey to make an impact and inspire in everything I do, and I truly believe I have executed that mission to the best of my ability,” Gibson added.
“I’ve worked so hard to make an impact beyond myself and beyond these games, and I’ve tried to sponsor as many children in Kenya as I can. And I’ve fought with all my heart, and there’s no shame in that.”
Gibson finished tenth at this year’s world championships in this discipline, making her path to a medal a tough one as she made no mistake on the diving board.
Even after hitting her feet on the board, Gibson looks ready to move on to her next event, with an eye on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.