OLYMPIC diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix has pulled out of the 2025 World Championships after suffering from “mental blocks“.
The 20-year-old, who is the daughter of First Dates star Fred Sirieix, won bronze alongside Lois Toulson in the synchronised 10m platform at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix has pulled out of this year’s diving World Championships due to mental blocks[/caption]
The Team GB star claimed bronze with Lois Toulson in the 10m synchronised diving in Paris[/caption]
Andrea also claimed bronze at the World Aquatics Championships last year, but will miss this month’s event in Singapore, from 11 July to 3 August.
Andrea wrote in an emotional Instagram statement: “Unfortunately, I won’t be attending the World Championships this year.
“I’ve had a tough battle with mental blocks in diving this season, and I’ve tried to fight through them, but I’ve decided it would be best for me to take a break from the pool.
“I am getting all the help I need from my family, my coach and my support team at Aquatics GB and I am so thankful for their love and support.
“As an athlete, the words ‘rest’ and ‘break’ are foreign, but I know that this period will greatly help me in the long run.
“I am sad to not be joining my team and international friends out in Singapore, but I know they will do amazingly and I can’t wait to see them shine.”
Part of the travelling Team GB cohort is Andrea’s boyfriend Ben Cutmore, who has won three European bronze medals at 10m.
But this is not the first time a “mental block” has affected Andrea, with the Team GB star suffering from the dreaded ‘Twisties’ in 2020.
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It was the same phenomenon that forced US gymnastics legend Simone Biles to quit the Olympics that same year.
After making her debut aged 16 at the Tokyo Olympics, where she finished sixth, Andrea cut an emotional figure, telling the BBC: “Three years ago, I didn’t even want to be alive.
“So today I’m just happy that I am alive, that I’m breathing and that I’ve got my family to support me.”
Her dad, star of’ Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip’, was there watching on four years later in what was a hugely proud moment.
After winning synchro bronze in Paris, Andrea missed out on becoming the first British woman to claim two Olympic diving medals in the 10m platform.
After the Paris Games she reflected on the experience and lifted the lid on previous battles against poor mental health on Instagram.
She wrote: “Alive. Breath in my lungs. My heart is overflowing. I can’t quite put into words how grateful I feel at this moment. The amount of support, encouragement and love is truly overwhelming.”
In 2022, Andrea was riding high after becoming a junior world champion, winning two senior European titles and two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
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