Olympic History
In 1908, Reginald “Snowy” Baker became the first Australian to compete in Olympic diving. He placed 22nd in the springboard whilst also winning silver in boxing at the same Games.
From 1912 until 1924, plain high diving for men was held as an event. This was a straight dive off the platform with no twists or turns. Australia's Richmond 'Dick' Eve won this event in Paris 1924 claiming Australia's first diving medal in Olmypic history.
At the Games of the New Millennium in Sydney, Australia returned to the dais in Olympic diving after more than three quarters of a century. Robert Newbery and Dean Pullar won bronze in the Men’s 3-Metre Synchro, as did Rebecca Gilmore and Loudy Tourky in the Women’s 10-Metre Syncho.
In Athens, Australia was the second most powerful diving nation winning six medals. Chantelle Newbery's gold medal, ahead of Loudy Tourky with the bronze, in the Women's 10-Metre was Australia's first Olympic diving gold since Dick Eve in 1924. Robert Newberry won two bronze medals in the Men's Synchro events to bring his Olympic medal tally to three. Also taking home medals for Australia was Mathew Helm with silver in the 10-Metre and bronze in the 10-Metre Synchro. Steven Barnett in the 3-Metre Synchro. And Irina Lashko and Chantelle Newbery in the 3-Metre Synchro.
At the 2008 Games in Beijing, 16-year old Melissa Wu teamed up with Briony Cole to win silver in the Women's 10-Metre Syncho behind Xin Wang and Ruolin Chen from China. One of the greatest Australian stories of the Games came from the diving when Matthew Mitcham produced the highest scoring dive in Olympic history to win the 10-Metre. In doing so he denied China a clean sweep of all eight diving events on offer.
Brittany Broben ensured that Australia won a medal at its fourth consecutive Olympics when she claimed silver in the 10-Metre at the 2012 Games. The youngest member of the 410 Australian athletes competing in London, Broben held her nerve to nail a strong last dive and ensure she would stand on the medal dais at her debut Games appearance.
Australia’s 3-Metre Synchro pair of Anabelle Smith and Maddison Keeney were the most successful members of the diving team at Rio 2016, claiming bronze with their final dive on the opening day of the diving competition. The pair were in fifth place heading into the final dive when a forward two-and-a-half somersault one twist pike secured them the bronze medal.
In Tokyo, Melissa Wu in her fourth Games returned to the Olympic podium in the 10-Metre with an outstanding third place performance. The medal marked Wu’s first as an individual athlete having won bronze in the 10-Metre Synchro in Beijing. Wu’s medal winning achievement marks six consecutive Olympic Games in which Australian divers have brought home hardware.