Rhianna Benson
An Olympic diver sent shockwaves through the audience at Paris' Aquatics Centre yesterday (7 August), after being subjected to scores of 0.0 following a catastrophic performance.
Fans were left heartbroken for 25-year-old Team USA athlete Alison Gibson, who collided in mid-air and flopped into the pool below, setting off a wave of gasps.
She'd hoped her tucked position somersault routine would eventually bag her a medal, though within seconds of launching into the air, the audience let out a gasp in shock at the painful blunder.
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But how exactly did it all go wrong?
Despite having to perform three dives in a bid to sail through to the next round, Alison's debut dive set the precedent for what would be a tear-jerking tournament, after her feet tragically clattered against the board.
As a result, the sportswoman lost her form before plummeting into the water below, causing an almighty splash and being awarded 0.0s across the board.
The diver has since spoken out on the moment her 2024 Olympic dream was crushed.
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Thankfully, Alison refuses to be discouraged from further competition, saying the loss will only serve to spur her on.
"I hit my heels and my feet on the board. I have cuts along the sides. And then I bruised my right heel pretty good, but I was determined to keep going," she told Reuters.
"I definitely was in pain,"Alison continued. "But one thing that I say is I hope that anyone who is watching just was able to see what it looks like to get up and keep going even when things don't go the way you want them to. It's about the fight."
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The Olympian added: "Obviously, today didn't go the way I wanted it to. But I think you can learn and grow from every experience, and I truly hope that the next generation of athletes recognise that even in the worst moments you can keep fighting, you can walk courageously."
Following the devastating dive, viewers took to social media to issue their condolences to Alison.
"Oohh, that's not a good moment. Hope she was okay," one wrote on Twitter.
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A second penned: "Omg. Glad she’s okay and was able to walk out."
And a third added: "Surprised this doesn’t happen more often, even at their level, in the other events some were skimming platforms on the way down, so dangerous."