Olympic Games: Shattered diver breaks her silence after costing her nation a medal in heartbreaking fashion

  • Annabelle Smith has shared her Olympic Games heartbreak 
  • The experienced diver failed to execute her final dive 
  • It meant Australia missed out on a medal in the diving 

Annabelle Smith has taken to social media to share her thoughts after reflecting on her heartbreaking missed opportunity in Paris.

The Australian diver was responsible for a calamitous final dive which cost her and partner Maddison Keeney Australia's first medal of the Olympic Games on Saturday.

The shocking fifth and final effort saw the pair dropped from third to fifth in the women's synchronised 3m springboard event, allowing Team GB to win bronze, and the tears flowed at Paris Aquatics Centre.

Smith revealed how she 'screamed underwater' after her unfortunate dive and, taking to Instagram 24 hours later, took the opportunity to share how the past day has been 'really tough'.

'Shattered I let the team down yesterday & lost our medal,' she wrote. 'Feeling all the feels, but know I can still stand tall.

'The last 24hrs have been really tough, and all I wanted to do was put my head down and disappear, but I’ve been reminded a million times with words, smiles, hugs and tears, just how much people care. 

'It’s probably the hardest but also most comforting part… knowing how much support and energy we had from so many people, who really wanted that medal for us too. I am so bloody grateful for every person who has ridden this wave with us.

'Still feels like a bad dream, but I’m reminding myself I’m at the Olympics, I had a crack, and I am breathing. And I got to spend the whole night celebrating being in Paris with my special people who have been by my side through it all.

Annabelle Smith has reflected on what has been a 'really tough' past 24 hours

Annabelle Smith has reflected on what has been a 'really tough' past 24 hours

Smith was heartbroken following her failed effort in Paris on Saturday

Smith was heartbroken following her failed effort in Paris on Saturday 

'Blown away by everyone’s love and support. Thank you so so much.

'Lastly, Maddi, Mat, Ady and the whole team Aus, I love our team forever.'

The normally trusty double act, regular podium placers at major championships, made a hash of their last difficult dive - a two-and-a-half somersaults with one twist in pike. 

It left 31-year-old Smith, in her fourth Games, blaming herself for a slip off the right edge of the board.

'Yeah, pretty brutal. I can't change it now, so no point dwelling on it,' the Melburnian said, after the tears subsided.

'Really, that stuff happens. It happens to the best of the best, and unfortunately it was my day today. So got to not let that define me, though. We've done some pretty amazing things across our 10 years.'

Asked as if her heart had sunk as soon as she took off awkwardly from the right edge of the board, Smith smiled ruefully: 'I screamed underwater - I was hoping the under-water cam wasn't on. It's just disappointing, very disappointing.'