Olympic Champion Matty Lee – who won the gold for Team GB along with Tom Daley at Tokyo Games in 2020 – has announced his retirement from diving.
Lee and Daley won the Olympic gold in Synchro 10 million for men in Covid-Postoned Games in 2021, the culmination of a career that brought medals to every great international level.
The 26-year-old, who underwent his back surgery in early 2024, announced his decision to retire on Instagram.
“After 20 years in sports, it’s time for me to get away from diving,” he wrote.
“This decision was not easy, but after losing my father in 2022, I tried to find the same passion I once had, he was why mine.
Lee made his debut at the World Championship of only 17 years old in 2015. Two years later he won the World Mixed 10m Synchro Silver along with Lois Toulson and then – in the year after his Olympic success – got silver at the Men’s event at the World Williams.
A European title also came along with Daley in Budapest in May 2021 the couple warming up for their victory in Tokyo, where they opposed the chances of defeating Cao Yuan and China Chen Aisen in gold with 1.2 points.
Also in 2022, Lee and Williams added the Commonwealth Games title to their world silver, but in March last year Lee underwent a discotomie on the L5/S1 disc – excluding it from the Paris Olympics.
In making his announcement, Leeds born Lee made tribute to his late father while thanking his family, friends, coaches, teammates and fans for his help throughout his career.
“What is next?” He wrote. “Honestly, I don’t know. And that is also terrible and exciting. But I know that, there are more in life than diving, and I’m ready for it.”
