University College London –
British Olympic diver Alicia Blagg has been compelled to abandon her relate for the Tokyo Olympics and retire from the game at 23 after a “heartbreaking” shoulder destroy.
Blagg dealt with despair and dismay after two predominant wrist operations and own was even handed one of Britain’s most embellished female divers.
She competed at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and gained multiple European and Commonwealth medals for the interval of her career.
Nonetheless, Blagg has been unable to accumulate better from a labrum trail sustained closing year.
“It be peaceful in so grand distress and it be time I listened to my physique,” she instant BBC Sport.
Blagg suffered her first predominant wrist destroy in 2013 and no subject surgery she predominant cortisone injections in repeat to own the potential to compete at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Video games.
With partner Rebecca Gallantree, they produced even handed one of essentially the most iconic moments of the Video games with cameras shooting their timorous faces after a shock victory in the 3m synchro springboard final.
“Competing at London 2012 was once magical nonetheless the Commonwealth gold was once essentially the most productive feeling ever because we factual didn’t quiz it,” she said.
After the 2016 Olympics, where the pair accomplished fifth, Blagg moved to the USA where she had additional surgery whereas finding out criminology and sociology at the University of Miami.
In 2018 she looked in career-easiest smash and likewise to claiming her maiden predominant particular person worldwide honour – with European silver – Blagg also gained a host of medals in the prestigious American college sport system.
She injured her shoulder for the interval of coaching in Also can merely 2019 and attempted to return to diving in a relate for a third Video games at Tokyo, nonetheless is peaceful unable to defend her correct arm above her head.
“In my thoughts I factual couldn’t defend doing this,” she said.
“I openly discuss seeing a psychologist and about the treatment I was once on to support with my dismay and despair because mental health is so primary.
“Scuffling with the demons in my head is difficult so I’m prepared to let my physique feel no longer new bodily and mentally.”
After winding up her undergraduate level online – as a result of the coronavirus lockdown – Blagg is hoping to cross to Edinburgh later in the year and stare for a masters in forensic psychology with criminology.
