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For Noah Williams, diving acts as therapy.
Having already won a silver medal at the Olympics in Paris; Williams added a surprise bronze on the penultimate day of competition in Paris.
The 24-year-old then explained how he struggles with his mental health, particularly following the death of his coach, Dave Jenkins in 2021. And it is diving that provides him with some solace.
He said: “I have struggled with my mental health for a long time. I have been on anti-depressants for a few years. Even without the grieving for Dave my coach, it’s something I have to live with.
“I don’t really know how to put in words. I am just sad quite a lot of the time but that doesn’t stop me from getting up and training because one of the only times that I’m not sad is when I am competing. And it’s probably just the adrenaline rush, it’s not like I am sad and then I turn up to a pool and suddenly I am happy.
“But because I was happy during this event and during the synchro, that is I guess why I am here. It is my form of therapy, competing.”
Williams won synchro silver alongside Tom Daley at the start of these Games, before returning for the individual 10m platform.
In the morning’s semi-final, he scraped through by the skin of his teeth, qualifying in 12th by just 0.25 points.
That meant that he dived first in the final, and he used that position to put those who followed under pressure.
Cao Yuan of China dominated the competition, helping to complete a Chinese clean-sweep of golds in diving – a first, while also securing a gold medal at his fourth consecutive Olympics – a first in the sport.
Behind him though, the struggles of Hao Yang, who finished last, opened up the possibilities of a medal.
Even so, that looked unlikely after a poor fourth dive which left Williams in fifth, 20 points off a medal.
From there, he proceeded to produce two fantastic dives, topping 90 points for both a back 2½ somersaults 2½ twists in the pike position and then a forward 4½ somersaults in the tuck position.
That was enough for a score of 497.35, good enough for bronze behind Cao and Japan’s Rikuto Tamai.
“I’m pretty shocked. The fact that I did just make it through, I thought there was nothing to lose now,” Williams added, who is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support – which has been vital on their pathway to the Paris 2024 Games.
“It’s not like I qualified in third and there is so much pressure on me. There was no pressure on me.
“I wouldn’t say it’s more special (than the synchro medal) because I really enjoy synchro, especially doing it with someone like Tom, who I am good friends with. Maybe it’s a bigger achievement, but not more special.”
Williams’ bronze brings down the curtain on a successful Games for Britain’s divers, with five medals in all, no mean feat given the Chinese dominance on the top step of the podium.
With more than £30M a week raised for Good Causes, including vital funding into elite and grassroots sport, National Lottery players support our Olympic and Paralympic athletes to live their dreams and make the nation proud, as well as providing more opportunities for people to take part in sport. To find out more visit: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
