Spendolini-Sirieix misses out on a medal within the 10m platform
Teenage diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, the daughter of First Dates host Fred, broke down in tears today after agonisingly missing out on a second Olympics medal – then bravely opened up about her recovery from personal struggles.
The 19-year-old revealed she ‘didn’t want to be alive three years ago’ in a heartrending interview just moments after finishing sixth in the women’s 10m platform final.
It came six days after her dad was the one in tears – of pride and joy – when she and Lois Toulson clinched bronze in the synchronised 10m event.
In the emotional immediate aftermath of today’s display, Spendolini-Sirieix welled up as she told the BBC: ‘Obviously it wasn’t the result that I wanted, but I’m not even upset with the competition – the girls dove amazing.
‘They did better than me today and it’s because they work really hard. It wasn’t meant to be. Genuinely, I’m not trying to macho or anything – I’m not upset with my performance.
A tearful Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix bravely admits she ‘didn’t want to be alive three years ago’ just moments after agonisingly missing out on a medal in the women’s 10m platform final
The Team GB star choked back tears after her valiant effort in the 10m platform final
First Dates host Fred Sirieix, pictured last month, has been presented for his daughter’s dives
The tearful Team GB star receives a big hug from her coach after missing out on a medal
‘Three years ago I didn’t even wanna be alive, so today I’m just happy I’m alive, I’m breathing and I’ve got my family to support me.’
She added: ‘My mum said, “Just keep smiling – we love you. We’re here to see you.” At the end of the day, that’s all I can ask for. ‘I just want to go see them.’
First Dates star Fred told the BBC how ‘proud’ he was of his ‘little girl’.
He said: ‘What I love about my daughter is her positivity. Today she didn’t make it to the podium, tonight she is going to have a quiet night, and tomorrow she is back to being happy, smiley Andrea. Just enjoying life, enjoying Paris, and enjoying the moment.
‘That is Andrea – and that is beautiful because it is about balance. It is about knowing who you are and making the most of life, and that is what she is doing. So I am very happy for her.’
He admitted Andrea and her family were ‘disappointed’, but added: ‘You know, this is sport. I said to you before the competition started that this is brutal and this is what happens – unfortunately it wasn’t her day.
‘She didn’t dive like she can do, like she did yesterday. It was an off day, she was tired from yesterday. No excuses, it is just the way it is.
‘It is what it is. She has had a super year. She is diving well. She made a couple of errors and she got overtaken and she couldn’t claw back the deficit.
‘But I am proud of my little girl. She has come here, she has come to Paris in the Olympics and she has got a medal.’
And Spendolini-Sirieix insisted: ‘I’m so happy to be here, to be at the Olympic Games. It’s been a really long year and it doesn’t take away from my accomplishments.’
The diver, a devout Christian, said: ‘Just missing out on one medal doesn’t change who I am, so it’s just God’s way of saying that we’ve got a lot more to do. I just give God all the glory.’
Having already claimed the bronze in the women’s synchronised 10m platform dive earlier in the Paris Olympics, the Team GB star just fell short of winning her second medal on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old got off to a promising start after her first dive scored her a 76.80, putting her fourth in the standings early on.
Spendolini-Sirieix blows a kiss to her loved ones in the stands at the Aquatics centre
Spendolini-Sirieix missed out on a medal in the women’s 10m platform final
The 19-year-old, who is the daughter of First Dates host Fred, got off to a promising start
But the British star fell down the rankings over the five rounds on Tuesday afternoon
However, Spendolini-Sirieix’s next three rounds saw her slip down the rankings, seeing the teen slip out of the medal positions.
She would score 62.40, 64.50, 60.20 in rounds two through four before finishing off with a brilliant – and best dive – of 81.60, leaving her with a total score of 345.50.
Spendolini-Sirieix captured the hearts of the nations when she claimed a brilliant bronze last week, leaving her famous father ‘bursting with pride’ in a post-event interview.
Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson, 24, produced a brilliant last-round dive to snatch the final spot on the podium after falling down the leaderboard following a below-par third dive.
They looked to be out of medal contention, but bounced back impressively to snatch bronze, and Sirieix was delighted for the pair as he spoke to his daughter live on the BBC after they shared a warm embrace.
Spendolini-Sirieix, 19, (right) and Lois Toulson, 24, (left) won bronze earlier in the Games
Andrea (second right) is the daughter of First Dates host Fred Sirieix (right)
‘What a competition! It’s always a rollercoaster with you girls,’ Sirieix said, bringing a giggle from the GB pair.
‘You really took me around the bend and through the middle. But that last dive, that was spectacular. You knew you had to put it through and you pulled it back. It was amazing.
‘I’m in awe with what they’ve achieved. It’s an amazing journey for them, they’ve won a medal, they’ve shown their class. I’m just very impressed and very happy for you. I’m so proud, I’m bursting.’
