06 July 2020

British Olympic diver Alicia Blagg announces retirement at 23 years-old

British Olympic diver Alicia Blagg has announced her retirement from the sport at the age of 23. 

She will no longer compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after a shoulder injury has forced her to quit. 

The star became one of the nation’s most decorated female divers and has competed at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics. 

Blagg won silver in the 3-metre synchro at the 2016 European Championships and silver in the 3-metre springboard two years later. 

But the 2014 Commonwealth Games champion has been unable to recover from the shoulder injury she sustained in May 2019.

She wrote on Instagram: "This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to write but after a lot of thought and consideration I have decided to retire.

"Since 2013 I’ve battled with injury after injury - having countless injections in my wrist, then 2 surgery’s on it and then injuring my shoulder, which led to another surgery last year. 

“This year I’ve kept pushing and doing rehab on my shoulder, working with some of the best people I’ve ever met in Miami, however due to how intense this sport is, my shoulder just could not handle it anymore.”

After the Rio Olympics, she moved to the US to complete a degree in criminology and sociology at the University of Miami.

She added: "I am also honored that I got to finish my diving career off at the University of Miami, being able to get a degree and to dive at the same time has always been a dream of mine and the people I’ve met there too, they are my people for life. 

"Thank you to every single person who has supported me, been there for me through the tough times and the amazing times, it’s been one hell of a journey these past 17 years and I would not of changed anything (well minus all the injuries). 

“It’s time for my next chapter... which is a masters program in Edinburgh, where I will be studying Forensic Psychology with Criminology! I’m excited and nervous to start a life without diving, but it’s time for new experiences!”

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