Spendolini-Sirieix named in Team GB diving squad for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Teenager Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix will make her Olympic debut this summer after being named in the Team GB diving squad for the rearranged Tokyo 2020 Games.

The 16-year-old Crystal Palace diver has been racking up the medals, most recently in the European Aquatics Championships, earning her a spot on the Olympic team.

After claiming her first senior individual European medal this year when she won bronze in the Women’s 10m Platform in Budapest, Spendolini-Sirieix will now be taking on the world’s best in that event.

On her selection, she said: “I am super excited and grateful to be chosen to represent my country at the Tokyo Olympics. It has been a dream of mine since I first started diving and I cannot believe my dream is finally coming true.

“Even through the last 18 months and lockdowns, my coach Lin and I have not stopped training and working towards the Olympics.

“Our goal has remained the same and to now be given the opportunity to fulfil that goal is extremely rewarding.

“I am very thankful to God for his guidance and continued protection this last year and for my amazing family who without I would not be where I am.

“They have driven me to training, stayed to watch and have always supported me to the fullest, for which I hope I can continue to make them proud.

“With the stress of exams, home schooling and time away for training and competition, my school (Harris Academy Bermondsey) the staff and students have continued to be by my side and have helped me to be the best student I could be.”

Debuts and experience

The youngster is not the only debutant in the squad of 12, with Eden Cheng, Noah Williams, Matty Lee, Scarlett Mew Jensen, Katherine Torrance and James Heatly also named.

Bringing some Olympic experience to the group will be Tom Daley, Jack Laugher, Dan Goodfellow, Grace Reid and Lois Toulson.

Laugher will be looking to defend his 3m Synchro title and claim another individual 3m Springboard medal.

He will be partnered with Dan Goodfellow in the synchro event, with James Heatly also competing in the 3m Springboard.

It will be a 10m double for Daley as he is set to take on the 10m Platform and 10m Synchro events, with Lee his partner in the latter.

Williams will also be in the Men’s 10m individual contest while Toulson, similarly to Daley, will be competing in both 10m events.

She will be looking to improve on her fifth place synchro finish at the Rio 2016 Games, this time teaming up with 18-year-old Cheng.

Both Reid and Mew Jensen will feature in the Women’s 3m Springboard competition, with a partnership of Reid and Torrance taking on the 3m Synchro.

Hard work and dedication

Team GB Chef de Mission, Mark England, said: “It is a huge privilege to be able to welcome this talented group of athletes onto Team GB for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

“The performances we’ve consistently seen from these athletes throughout the recent World Cup and European competitions is testament to the hard work and dedication that the whole team has put in throughout what has been a very challenging year.

“Everyone who supports Team GB will be buoyed by what this team has achieved in recent weeks and will have every confidence that we will see more of these medal-winning performances in Tokyo.

“Congratulations everyone and we look forward to welcoming you to Tokyo in July.”

British Diving Performance Director, Alexei Evangulov, added: “This has been the longest Olympic cycle ever, however the hardest part of it was the last year – our team exceeded all my expectation in terms of coping with all the challenges we experienced during the pandemic.

“There were a lot; pool closures, isolation, quarantine, uncertainness, competitions postponements, you name it.

“Our divers not only managed to secure their physical and technical shape in this situation, but also significantly improved their diving quality.

“All of this, plus our coaches and staff’s professionalism allowed us to come up to the homestretch to Tokyo with a great confidence, high ambitions and belief.”