Olympic Diver Alison Gibson Has a Message for Critics After Board Mishap

Alison Gibson has a medal-worthy reflection of her 2024 Olympics experience.

While competing in the women’s 3-meter springboard competition in Paris, the Team USA diver slammed her feet on the springboard on her first dive of the preliminary round, resulting in a 0.0 score. But despite the heartbreaking experience, she continued the competition with grace and made it her mission to make the experience bigger than herself.

“Not everyone can relate to getting a gold medal,” Alison told E! News in an exclusive interview, “but everybody can relate to what it feels like to be crushed and what it means to keep fighting and keep getting back up.”

And while she’s seen an outpouring of support, she has encountered a few critics. As for what she would tell them? “’I don't care what you say,’” she expressed. “’You don't know me.’”

“It doesn't affect me, because I know my value and I know my worth,” she continued, “and I know that the people who really love me and the people who really matter are going to be there, and that that's what I care about.”

The 25-year-old turned her mishap into a catalyst for change through her commitment to joining forces with other athletes, including Jamaican diver Yonah Knight-Wisdom and swimming legend Rowdy Gaines, to support water safety initiatives as well as her mission to sponsor children in Haiti through Missions of Hope International.

“I think I've gotten about 30 kids sponsored,” she said, “which is incredible given that going into the Olympics, there weren't any kids sponsored.”

But while she’s been focusing on the positive after her Paris mishap, the hit to the board left her with painful bruises and cuts on her heels and feet. And the healing process came with some difficult reminders.

“It’s frustrating. Every time I get out of bed, I’m reminded of what happened when I put my feet on the ground, and the pain shoots through the bottom of my foot,” she explained to E!. “And I think that that's difficult, but it's part of the healing process, and it takes time to heal.”

Thankfully, Alison has been able to lean on her friends and family for support. And she even heard from a surprising celeb after meeting him randomly in an airport.

“Chris Harrison,” she told E!, revealing that she recorded an episode of The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever with the The Bachelor alum, “obviously had a moment where he got canceled by the world, and he's like, ‘I've been there before,’ so I'm really excited for that episode to drop.”

And if there’s one thing she wants people to take away from her experience, it’s the idea of redefining gold and not finding success in a gold medal, but in using the journey to make a difference in the world.

“I think it's even more important for athletes to have a mission outside of just their sport,” she said, “because then when things don't go well, they have something to lean on.”

When the opposite happens, then “they can bring more support” to the organizations that matter to them most.

Keep reading to revisit some of the most emotional moments during the Paris Olympics.

Gold medalist Janja Garnbret of Team Slovenia celebrates with silver medalist Brooke Raboutou of Team USA after they completed the women's Boulder & Lead final.

First-time Olympian Sha'carri Richardson of Team USA looks on after winning her first Olympic gold medal by placing first in the women's 4x100m relay final.

Team USA's Tara Davis-Woodhall embraces her husband and Paralympic athlete Hunter Woodhall after winning the women's long jump final. 

Joan Antoni Moreno and Diego Dominguez of Team Spain yell in celebration after the men's canoe double 500m final. 

Spain's Maria Perez and Alvaro Martin pop champagne to celebrate their gold medals. 

Kelland O'Brien of Team Australia is emotional after his team, also including Sam Welsford, Conor Leahy and Oliver Bleddyn, won gold. The Austalian cyclists set a new world record with 3:40.730. 

TEAM USA's Gabby Thomas snaps a selfie with her partner Spencer McManes after winning gold in the women's 200m final. 

Cole Hocker of Team USA celebrates after winning the gold for the men's 1500m. Hocker won by .14 seconds. 

Swedish athlete Armand Duplantis celebrates after setting a new world record in the men's pole vault. 

An Se-young of Korea celebrates after defeating He Bingjiao of China 2-0 in their match. 

Johanne Defay hugs Simon Paillard, her husband and coach, after winning bronze for France. 

Simone Biles hugs an emotional Jordan Chiles after winning bronze for the women's floor routine final, marking Chiles' first individual Olympic medal. 

Britain's Bryony Page is ecsatic after winning gold for the women's trampoline final in gymnastics. 

Team Czechia's Michal Cupr, Jiri Beran, Jakub Jurka, Martin Rubes celebrate after defeating France for the men's bronze medal. 

USA gymnast Simone Biles beams after winning gold in the women's all-around final, sporting her "GOAT" necklace.

Great Britain's Andy Murray—who announced his retirement before the Paris Games—tearfully bids farewell to the crowd after being eliminated alongside Dan Evans in the men's doubles.

Tomokazu Harimoto of Team Japan lets off some steam during his match against China's Fan Zhendong.

Men's 200m backstroke silver medalist Apostolos Christou of Greece gets emotional while standing on the podium.

Spanish tennis Carlos Alcaraz lets out a victorious scream after defeating Tommy Paul of Team USA in men's single.

Great Britain's bronze medalists Andrea Spendolini Sirieix and Lois Toulson share a raw moment after the women's synchronized 10m platform diving final.

Korbin Albert gets emotional after scoring a goal in the women's soccer game.

Team Sweden's Sarah Sjoestroem celebrates her gold medal in the Women's 100m Freestyle Final.

Team USA's Katie Ledecky reacts to winning gold in the Women's 1500m Freestyle Final.

French swimmer Anastasiia Kirpichnikova cries tears of joy after seeing her silver medal-winning time in women's 1500m freestyle event.

Serbia's Nemanja Majdov (L) and Greece's Theodoros Tselidis (R) share a moment after their round in the men's 90kg round of 16 in judo. Tselildis, who beat Majdov, later won the bronze medal. 

Manon Apithy-Brunet (L) kisses her husband France's Bolade Apithy after his team beat Egypt. 

Gold medalist Alex Yee of Team Great Britain and silver medalist Hayden Wilde of Team New Zealand share a subtle celebratory moment after crossing the finish line. 

Team New Zealand leaps for joy after beating Canada in the Women's Rugby Sevens Gold medal match. 

Agustina Gorzelany of Team Argentina celebrates her team's first goal in a match against Spain. Argentina ended up winning the match 2-1. 

Team Guatemala's Adriana Ruano Oliva gets emotional after realizing she's won the gold medal—her country's very first—in the shooting trap women's final.