American diver Alison Gibson endured a nightmarish start Wednesday during the preliminary round of the women’s 3m springboard, when her feet collided with the board on the first dive, resulting in a score of 0.0.
Moments after the launch, Gibson — in a tucked position with her legs straight out — performed flips in the air before hitting the board.
Upon landing in the water, her performance was registered as a non-dive.
“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 recognize that even in the worst moments you can keep fighting, you can walk courageously,” said Gibson, who completed her final four dives and finished last in the competition.