Mitcham announces retirement

NSWIS diver Matthew Mitcham has today announced his immediate retirement from diving after a stellar career that included Olympic gold.

Mitcham made his announcement this morning in Sydney just seven months before the 2016 Olympic Games begin in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

An NSWIS scholarship holder since 2007 and coached by Chava Sobrino, Mitcham’s career-defining moment came at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games when he won gold in the men’s 10m platform.

The winning dive came in the last round of the competition when Mitcham scored 112.10 points, notching the highest score of any dive in Olympic history. It was the first Olympic diving gold medal won by an Australian male since the 1924 Olympic Games and denied China a clean sweep of the diving gold medals at their home Olympics.

“Matthew is one of the great success stories of our organisation, and an athlete that we are truly proud to have as part of Team NSWIS,” said NSWIS Chief Executive Charles Turner.

“His gold medal in Beijing was not just one of the great Australian moments in sport, but a moment in Olympic history that will be remembered forever. I know I will never forget watching Matthew dive his way into the record books.”

Mitcham, under Sobrino’s tutelage then went on to win bronze in the men’s 1m springboard at the 2009 FINA Aquatics World Championships, four silver medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and most recently capped his career with one gold and two silver medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

“For years we have watched Matthew train at the NSWIS to achieve the results he has throughout his career, and by his side every day has been his coach Chava Sobrino. 

"Matthew and Chava have formed an unbreakable bond and I would also like to pay tribute to Chava’s work throughout Matthew’s time in the pool,” Turner said.

Mitcham has also been named the NSWIS Male Athlete of the Year twice (2008, 2010); received the Outstanding Achievement and Most Memorable Moment awards in 2008 and most recently won the Career Development award in 2014 due to the success of his cabaret show.

As the force that guided Mitcham to his success, Sobrino has been named NSWIS Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2010.

“On behalf of the Institute I’d like to congratulate Matthew on his fantastic career and wish him well for his future endeavours,” Turner concluded.