Chantelle Michell-Newbery

Australian diver Chantelle Michell-Newbery competed in the springboard, synchronized springboard, and platform events, winning multiple medals including gold at both the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Newbery won her first international medal at the World Aquatics Championships in 1998 when she took bronze in the 3 metre springboard. Later the same year she competed at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, winning gold in the 1 metre springboard and silver in the 3 metre springboard. Two years later she was selected to represent Australia at her home Olympics in Sydney, where she placed seventh in the springboard, along with fourth in the synchronized springboard with compatriot Loudy Tourky.

Having just missed out on a medal at the Sydney Games, Newbery returned to the Olympics in Athina four years later. She went on to win gold in the platform event to become the first Australian diver to win an Olympic medal since Dick Eve won gold in the plain high diving event at the 1924 Games in Paris. Newbery also took home bronze in the synchronized springboard with partner Irina Lashko. In recognition of her achievements Newbery was awarded with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2005 Australia Day Honours.

That same year Newbery won silver in the synchronized platform event at the World Aquatics Championships before taking home three medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. With Loudy Tourky she won gold in the synchronized platform, with Newbery winning individual silver medals in both the 3 metre springboard and platform events. More recognition came her way with the Australian Institute of Sport naming her the “Best of the Best”. Her third and final Olympic appearance came in Beijing in 2008; however, she finished a disappointing 14th in the springboard.

Shortly after the Beijing Olympics Newbery began to suffer with depression after failing to replicate her previous success, admitting herself to a psychiatric hospital one year later. She continued to struggle after her marriage to former Olympic diver Robert Newbery ended. In 2014 Newbery plead guilty to drug charges after being found in possession of methamphetamine. This was followed by multiple counts of theft, resulting in a three-month suspended prison sentence, along with dozens of other charges for drug-related offences. In 2022 Newbery’s OAM was rescinded a she continued to struggle with drug addiction, which resulted in her making multiple court appearances.