GB’s Spendolini-Sirieix misses out on historic diving medal

Teenager Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix came close to making history as the first British woman to win two Olympic diving medals, finishing sixth in the 10m platform final at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

After securing a bronze medal alongside Lois Toulson in the synchronised event last week, Spendolini-Sirieix entered Tuesday’s individual competition with hopes of adding another medal to her collection. The 19-year-old from London had shown great promise by delivering a superb performance to place third in Monday’s semi-finals.

Despite her strong start, Spendolini-Sirieix was unable to replicate her earlier form in the final. The competition was intense, with the Chinese duo of Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi displaying remarkable skill. Quan, 17, captured gold, successfully defending the title she won as a 14-year-old in Tokyo, and dazzled the audience with a perfect 10 on her opening dive. Chen, 18, claimed silver, mirroring their one-two finish at the previous Olympics.

North Korea’s Kim Mi Rae earned the bronze medal with an impressive performance.

Spendolini-Sirieix’s father, Fred Sirieix, a well-known television personality from the show First Dates, was present in the audience and offered emotional support after her final dive. Despite missing out on another medal, Spendolini-Sirieix’s achievements continue to inspire and showcase her as a rising star in British diving.