Paris Olympic: American Diver Alison Gibson scores 0.0 after board collision

American diver Alison Gibson faced a challenging start in the women’s 3m springboard preliminary round at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, August 7 2024.

During her first dive, Gibson’s feet struck the board, resulting in a score of 0.0 as the dive was considered a non-dive.

Despite the setback and the pain from bruising her right heel, Gibson continued with her remaining dives. She finished the competition in last place with a total score of 198.30.

Reflecting on the experience, Gibson emphasized the importance of resilience. “Even in the worst moments, you can keep fighting and walk courageously,” she said. Gibson, making her second Olympic appearance, expressed hope that her perseverance would inspire others.

Judges in springboard diving assess the diver’s starting position, take-off, flight, and entry into the water, with competitors performing various dive categories.

Gibson’s performance in Paris follows a tough finish in the synchronized springboard event at the Tokyo Games in 2021, which led her to consider retirement.