Olympic diver Brittany O’Brien opened her season with gold at the NSW State Championships and bronze at the Southern Cross Diving Series – but ask where she sits right now in her career, and the answer is not as certain.

“I just feel like I’m floating right now,” she said.

Training within the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Diving program, the 27-year-old is springing into the 2026 season with something to prove as the North American Cup starts next month. Beginning in Ontario, Canada, and continuing in Florida, United States, it is the same competition series where severe illness last year forced O’Brien to withdraw, right as she was in peak form.

“Last year was a little bit of a rough year because I came second at Nationals and then I went overseas,” she explained. “But I got really sick, so I didn’t end up competing in Canada, and then by the time I went to America I was still deathly ill – oh my god, it was so bad!”

“That was my only international opportunity that I got to do last year…but I feel like even just doing that competition taught me a lot about my perseverance, and I feel a lot more prepared going into this year and know I can tackle anything.”

The setback came off the back of an already difficult stretch – after stepping away from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic trials and missing selection for Paris 2024.

“Missing Paris, I was very unmotivated for the next year to year and a half because I feel like I did everything that I could physically,” O’Brien said. “I know you can always do more, but I felt very prepared going into it…I think it was purely a mental thing for me. I just absolutely crumbled.”

“Because I felt so helpless with that, I was kind of like, ‘Oh, what’s the point?’ I try to reflect back on the Commonwealth Games [silver medal in 2022,] and remind myself that I am capable of doing good things, because sometimes I just get very down and doubt myself a lot.”

“I’ve also been reflecting a lot on my first Nationals for springboard when I won; I keep looking back on that trying to think of how I did it and how I can replicate that. Just trying to remind myself that I am capable.”

Through it all, O’Brien – who has amassed almost one million followers on TikTok – has been sharing her journey publicly, bellyflops and all.

“I just feel like I can’t really fake it,” she explained. “I can’t always pretend like I’m amazing.”

“Growing up…I didn’t really have a role model that was a little bit imperfect. I always thought that it was unattainable to be like these incredible people who only share their highlights, so I want to show [athletes] who are up and coming that it’s normal and help people feel less alone in their sporting journey.”

O’Brien admits she is naturally open – and leans into it, even if it extends to her competition nerves. “At state championships, I was so nervous and I just kept going around to everybody saying that – and then the more that I was saying it, it probably made me feel worse,” she said. “I should probably learn to contain it a bit more, but it’s just me. I just say everything!”

The 3m springboard diver said that she’s been working with a sport psychologist to manage the pressure more deliberately. 

“I feel like it’s so unpredictable for me…at Nationals last year, I was a lot better [after being] able to control my nerves with some of the techniques that she gave me, so that’s super helpful.”

“I’ve also been doing a lot of breathwork to regulate my nervous system, which can help as well.”

As for the bigger picture, it remains uncertain. With the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games starting in four months’ time, the exclusion of Diving – for the first time since 1930 – has left O’Brien, like many of her peers, in limbo.

“Initially I was planning on doing Comm Games and then maybe retiring, or…I wasn’t sure if I was going to try and go through to LA [2028],” she said. “I think a lot of divers are feeling similar – we haven’t really had a major competition since…world champs last year, but I didn’t qualify for that.”            

“It can sometimes be hard when there’s not much to work towards. We’re doing our own version of the Comm Games in December, so that’ll be fun, but it just doesn’t really feel the same. But hopefully next year there’ll be more to motivate us.”

For now, O’Brien is not overthinking the destination.

“I feel like I work a lot harder these days, but I feel like I have to. The older you get, you have to work harder. I think I do want to establish a bit more of a name for myself,” she said.

“It’s very normal for sport to come in ebbs and flows, so I think if you just stay consistent and keep showing up, then you will be rewarded…even when you don’t want to, even when you feel unmotivated  – because every day you do, you know it’ll all come back to you.”

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