Canadian diver Jennifer Abel announces retirement after decorated career

LAVAL, Que. – Decorated Canadian diver Jennifer Abel has announced her retirement.

An Olympic silver and bronze medallist, the 30-year-old from Laval. Que., also won 10 world championship medals, the most by any Canadian diver.

Abel and Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu won synchronized springboard silver at the Tokyo Olympics in August.

Abel earned bronze in the same event at the 2012 Games in London with Emilie Heymans.

Abel placed fourth in both individual springboard and the synchro event in Rio in 2016.

She’s engaged to professional boxer David Lemieux.

“My life as an athlete has prepared me for my adult life and now, for my life as a mother-to-be,” Abel said Tuesday in a statement.

“Today, I know how to forgive myself after failure, where to draw strength in the face of adversity, and the type of energy it takes to succeed.”

Abel won six silver and four bronze world championship medals during her career.

She said in her statement “there weren’t many mixed-race girls in diving” when she got involved in the sport and that she was told “black girls are found in athletics or basketball, not in the pool.”

But Abel’s dream was to dive.

“I experienced some amazing moments in my career,” she said. “It is time now to begin a new chapter.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2021.