One-time ‘tiny tot’ Mel Wu leaves diving as a true giant

After creating history at last year’s Paris Olympic Games as the first Australian diver to compete at five Olympics, Melissa Wu announced her retirement at the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) in Sydney today.

The 32-year-old said she’s leaving the sport, which sometimes proved to be as cruel to her as it was kind, without any regret.

“When I started out at 13, I could never have imagined my career would last this long,” said Wu. “I’ve been so lucky to have a long career, and even though I dealt with a lot of injuries I went to five consecutive Olympics.

“You can’t ask for anything better than that. I’m fortunate because while I’m retiring, I feel as though I didn’t leave any stone unturned. It’s a great way to walk away.”

Among those who paid tribute to Wu was Matthew Mitcham OAM, the Beijing 2008 Olympic gold medallist, and Wu’s NSWIS teammate for almost two decades. Mitcham recalled watching a tiny tot grow into one of diving’s true giants. 

“I remember Melissa right from the beginning as this tiny, tiny 11-year-old; so tiny that it didn’t matter which angle she hit the water at she could never make a splash,” he laughed. “So tiny, we were constantly worried a gust of wind would just blow her off the 10m tower.

“Melissa has been a champion, an exceptional diver, an unprecedented talent from the very beginning . . . I’m in total awe of [Melissa]. This retirement is very well deserved, so I hope [Melissa enjoys it]. I’m just so, so proud.”

Wu, who won a silver medal for the 10m synchro with Alexandra Croak when she made her debut for Australia as a 13-year-old at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, gave an indication all those years ago of the grace that would exemplify her career.

Her performance in Melbourne was Wu’s springboard to a career which lasted two decades and will be celebrated in Australia’s sporting history for delivering an Olympic silver and bronze medal, and other global successes.

However, it would be a mistake to merely measure Wu’s career by her medal count.

Besides displaying incredible resilience to fight back from injuries and mental health issues, the latter of which almost forced her to abandon diving early in her career, Wu’s indelible influence on younger divers was perfectly summed up by her coach, and confidante, Chava Sobrino.

“The pool feels empty without Mel in it,” said Sobrino, who Wu describes as her ‘second dad.’ “Having Mel on the team was like having an extra coach.

“The influence she’s had on the younger divers is immeasurable. She was generous in sharing her lessons and experiences.”

Wu conceded she knew the Paris 2024 Olympic Games would be her swansong after overcoming a series of debilitating injuries in the lead up to the competition.

However, she said that struggle made her decide to savour every moment of the Paris campaign, a campaign in which she finished 11^th.  That effort ensured Wu competed in the final of every Olympic Games she contested.

“I’ve been very lucky to have such a long career,” said Wu. “I’d gone into the previous Olympics never thinking about retiring, but I realised Paris would be my last.

“When I arrived in Paris I was at a place where the pressure was off me – well, a little bit – and that allowed me to soak it all in. It was a hard year in terms of my qualifying for the team. There were some tough injuries, and knowing how hard it was to make Paris made me decide to make sure I savoured it.”

A snapshot of Wu’s career notes she:

• Made her senior debut for Australia at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games at 13 where she won a silver 10m synchro medal. 
• Competed at five Olympic Games – the most by an Australian diver.
• Competed in the final of every Olympics she contested.
• Won the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Games for the 10m synchro with Briony Cole.
• Became Australia’s youngest diver, at 16, to win an Olympic medal (silver, Beijing).
• Captained Australia’s diving team at the 2016 Rio Games.
• Won Olympic bronze at Tokyo, 13-years after her Beijing triumph.
• Won three Commonwealth Games gold, and two silver, medals.
• Won two silver and one bronze world championship medals.
• Won one silver and four bronze world cup medals.
• Carried Australia’s flag at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Birmingham Games in recognition of her competing at her fifth Commonwealth Games.

“I’m proud of everything I’ve achieved,” said Wu.

“As an athlete I hope my performances continues to inspire the next generation of all athletes, not just divers. I’d like to think my career shows athletes you can have longevity, and that you can do it at any age. I always wanted to keep giving back – and I still do.”

Wu added she was retiring a time when Australian diving is in great shape, citing the emergence of athletes such as her NSWIS squad mate, 18-year-old Ellie Cole (photographed above on left with Mel) as an example of the nation’s quality of talent.

 “It’s a good time to pass the baton as we have some tremendous talent coming through,” she said.

“As one of the older members on the team I’ve treated mentoring the younger members as part of that role. I’ve learnt you ride a lot of ups and downs. And the beauty of being an athlete is you learn how to relate to those ups and downs, and I explain to the younger athletes how to navigate them.”

Wu said there was an army of people to thank for their impact on her career, particularly her long-term coach, Chava Sobrino.

“Chava, who is like my second dad, has played an important part in my life, as have other NSWIS coaches, including Joel Rodriguez.

“The support I’ve received from NSWIS over the years has been great. When I came to NSWIS I wasn’t in a good place.

“I was very young and had already considered walking away from the sport because of my mental state, but the support of the entire program helped me. NSWIS was the starting point for what was a long, personal journey to not only win those Olympic medals, but also the journey to get there.

“There are so many others to thank. Our physio Lucy Kennedy, strength and conditioning coach Spencer Goggin; Emma Hay before him, Dr Corey Cunningham, and dietician Ashleigh Brunner.

“I acknowledge my NSWIS teammates, especially Esther Qin who has shared many ups and downs with me. Esther has supported me at competitions and she has pushed me every day in training. 

“I have also worked with another physio Pei Gan, from PB Physiotherapy, and she worked in conjunction with NSWIS despite being outside of the Institute. Other people who have played important roles in my career include John Novak, my mindset coach; my Pilates instructor, Helen Stamatakos; Nicola Jaffrey, dietitian. 

“Thank you to Gillian Brooker and Eric Brooker from Diving NSW, Diving Australia and Funkita Swimwear, who have been a tremendous and supportive sponsor for over 10 years

“Last, but certainly not least, I offer my thanks to my family; my grandparents, parents and my four siblings, and, of course my husband, who have supported me selflessly and unconditionally throughout my entire career. It’s been special.”

NSWIS CEO Kevin Thompson said Wu would continue to be an inspiration for the Institute’s scholarship athletes.

“By any measure Melissa Wu is a champion; as an athlete, a citizen and a role model,” he said. “She leaves an outstanding legacy.

“Melissa’s feats, which include winning medals, displaying resilience and grit, upholding the ideals of sportsmanship, and having the courage to champion the important issue of mental health will ensure she inspires future generations of athletes to emulate her many achievements and core values.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS