Olympic bronze medallist and five-time world medallists Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix will miss the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore due to “mental blocks”.
The British diver shared the news in a post on her Instagram page, adding that she has decided to take a break from the sport to be more prepared for long-term goals and is getting the necessary support from her family, coaching staff and federation as she works to come back to competition.
“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,” Spendolini-Sirieix wrote in the post.
“As an athlete, the words ‘rest’ and ‘break’ are foreign, but I know that this period will greatly help me in the long run.”
Spendolini-Sirieix has faced mental struggles in the past, including during her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 where she finished seventh in the women’s 10m platform while competing as a 16-year-old. Speaking to Olympics.com in 2022, the diver recalled the disconnect between her mind and body in the lead up and during the Games.
“I thought that going into the Olympic Games, these blocks would leave because the adrenaline would take over and the excitement would take over because I am literally fulfilling my dream,” she said. “But that wasn’t the case.”
Returning to the Olympic stage at Paris 2024, Spendolini-Sirieix won the bronze medal in the women’s synchronised 10m platform and sixth in the individual event.
The World Aquatics Championships will be held from 11 July to 3 August with the diving competition to begin on 26 July.