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,” Melissa said. “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 Melissa was Matthew Mitcham OAM, the Beijing 2008 Olympic diving gold medallist, and Melissa’s NSWIS teammate for almost two decades. Matthew 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.”

AOC President Ian Chesterman congratulated Wu on today’s announcement.

“Melissa Wu’s retirement marks the end of an exceptional era in Australian diving,” Mr Chesterman said. “To make one Australian Olympic Team is a rare achievement. To become the first Australian diver to compete at five Olympics is extraordinary.

“Her longevity in the sport and ability to perform on the biggest stage for nearly two decades is remarkable. Melissa has not only delivered for Australia with her performances but has inspired and mentored young divers coming through the ranks.

“We are incredibly grateful for her contributions to Australian sport, and we celebrate her achievements today with admiration and appreciation. Congratulations, Melissa, on a truly outstanding career.”

Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Anna Meares paid tribute to Wu’s lasting legacy.

“Melissa has been an extraordinary competitor and an inspiration to generations of Australian athletes,” Ms Meares said. “Representing Australia at five Olympic Games is a phenomenal achievement – a testament to her talent, resilience, and dedication to her sport.

“From her Olympic debut as a 16-year-old in Beijing to standing on the podium in Tokyo and making history as our first ever five-time Olympic diver in Paris, Melissa has shown unwavering commitment to excellence. She has not only been a fierce competitor but also a wonderful teammate and role model, embodying the values of the Olympic movement with grace and determination.

“Congratulations to Melissa on a special career. We thank her for the incredible contributions she has made to Australian sport and wish her all the best for this next chapter.”

Melissa, who won a silver medal for the 10m synchro with Alexandra Croak when she made her debut for Australia’s 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 Melissa’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 Melissa’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, Melissa’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 Melissa 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.”

Melissa 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 11th.  That effort ensured Melissa competed in the final of every Olympic Games she contested.

“I’ve been very lucky to have such a long career,” Melissa said. “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.

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

“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.”

Melissa 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 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.”

Melissa 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.

“Thank you to Gillian Brooker and Eric Brooker from Diving NSW and Diving Australia.

“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.”

AOC President Ian Chesterman congratulated Wu on today’s announcement.

“Melissa Wu’s retirement marks the end of an exceptional era in Australian diving,” Mr Chesterman said. “To make one Australian Olympic Team is a rare achievement. To become the first Australian diver to compete at five Olympics is extraordinary.

“Her longevity in the sport and ability to perform on the biggest stage for nearly two decades is remarkable. Melissa has not only delivered for Australia with her performances but has inspired and mentored young divers coming through the ranks.

“We are incredibly grateful for her contributions to Australian sport, and we celebrate her achievements today with admiration and appreciation. Congratulations, Melissa, on a truly outstanding career.”

Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Anna Meares paid tribute to Wu’s lasting legacy.

“Melissa has been an extraordinary competitor and an inspiration to generations of Australian athletes,” Ms Meares said. “Representing Australia at five Olympic Games is a phenomenal achievement – a testament to her talent, resilience, and dedication to her sport.

“From her Olympic debut as a 16-year-old in Beijing to standing on the podium in Tokyo and making history as our first ever five-time Olympic diver in Paris, Melissa has shown unwavering commitment to excellence. She has not only been a fierce competitor but also a wonderful teammate and role model, embodying the values of the Olympic movement with grace and determination.

“Congratulations to Melissa on a special career. We thank her for the incredible contributions she has made to Australian sport and wish her all the best for this next chapter.”

NSWIS CEO Kevin Thompson said Melissa 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.”