Matthew Mitcham produced the highest scoring dive in Olympic history to win the 10-metre platform event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In doing so he became Australia’s first male diving gold medalist since Dick Eve in 1924. Matthew left the sport in 2006, struggling with addiction and depression, and for a time supported himself as a high diver at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show, plunging into a barrel of water. Before that he had trained for seven years with the AIS.

Matthew has also won six career silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and in 2014 took out the gold.

Matthew is an ambassador for ‘Headspace’. His autobiography ‘Twists & Turns’ depicting his journey into and out of depression can be found online and through major bookstores. www.twistsandturns.com.au

Listen here to Matthew’s story as it appears in ‘From Bullied To Brilliant’: