Alison Gibson responds to "embarrassing failure" after earning a 0.0 score in Paris Olympics 2024

Alison Gibson is leaving the 2024 Olympics with her head held high.

The Team USA diver stunned spectators during the women's 3-meter springboard event in Paris on Aug. 7 when she hit her feet on the springboard mid-flip during her first dive.

This error resulted in a penalty for Alison, marking her performance as a non-dive and earning her a score of 0.0. Despite the setback, the 25-year-old completed her remaining four dives but ultimately placed 28th out of 28 competitors. However, she refuses to let the defeat overshadow her Olympic experience.

"Our worth is not defined by one painful moment," Alison wrote on Instagram Aug. 8. "I am who I am because of the journey it took to get here. And I will not let the shame and pain of this moment define me and my worth."

She shared the message with a video of her mishap, adding, "In my 15 years diving, this has never happened to me. My feet were bleeding. My heels were painfully bruised from hitting the board."

Although Alison was aware that many expected her to withdraw from the competition after the penalty, she refused to do so, stating that she wanted to persevere "through highs and lows."

"This was far from the outcome I wanted," the Olympian continued, "but I fought with everything I had to represent my country as well as I could and I'm proud of that. To those on the outside this may look like an embarrassing failure. But to me this journey to the Olympics has been anything but a failure."

Although she acknowledged that "my heart and my body hurt," Alison remained confident, affirming that "this competition does not and will not define me."

The athlete also hopes her determination to finish the competition will serve as an inspiration to others.