Anabelle Smith is a diver and Olympian who was awarded a Scholarship within the 2009 Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship and Mentoring Program, she was paired with Debbie Watson OAM as her Mentor.
Anabelle was born in Malvern, Victoria in 1993 and arrived in the diving world with two bronze medals at the World Junior Championships in 2008, the same year she won the Pierre de Coubertin award.
Anabelle won another bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the 10m platform, and from 2009 – 2011 was a recipient of the Layne Beachley Aim for the Stars scholarship. She reached the podium again, with a bronze at the 2011 World Championships, and finished fifth in the 3m Synchronised Springboard at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
A bronze at a World Cup event in 2014 propelled her to a bronze at the Commonwealth Games that year, and to another bronze medal, this time at the Rio Olympic Games in the 3m Springboard. Consistent medal performances earned her the Victorian Institute of Sport Spirit Award.
Between 2018 and 2021, Anabelle won bronze at yet another Commonwealth Games and competed in World Cup events and her third Olympic Games. She was honoured as a nominee for the Australian of the Year, was declared an AMP Tomorrow Maker and was the Diving Victoria Athlete of the Year. Furthermore, she received a John Landy Scholarship from the Olympians Club of Victoria.
In recognition of her distinguished career in diving, Anabelle was selected for the inaugural Australian Institute of Sport Athlete Advisory Committee.
Since she received her SAHOF Scholarship in 2009, she attributes the support to her junior success, and transition onto the senior national team. She continues to stay in contact with her mentor Debbie Watson OAM and feels privileged to have had her guidance and support throughout her career.
Honours & Achievements
- 2008: World Junior Championships – Bronze x 2.
- 2008: Pierre de Coubertin award winner.
- 2009: Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship recipient.
- 2010: Commonwealth Games – Bronze 10m platform.
- 2010: World Cup.
- 2011-2019: Diving Victoria Athlete of the year.
- 2011: World Championships – Bronze.
- 2011-2009: Layne Beachley ‘Aim for The Stars’ scholarship recipient.
- 2012: London Olympics – 5th 3m Springboard Synchronised.
- 2013: World Championships.
- 2014: Commonwealth Games – Bronze 3m Synchronised Springboard.
- 2014: World Cup – Bronze.
- 2016: Rio Olympics – Bronze 3m springboard.
- 2016: Victorian Institute of Sport ‘Spirit’ Award winner.
- 2016: Leader Newspapers Eastern Overall Senior Winner.
- 2017: Australian of the Year nominee.
- 2017: World Championships.
- 2018: Commonwealth Games – Bronze 1m springboard.
- 2018: World Cup – Bronze 2018.
- 2019: AMP Tomorrow Maker.
- 2019: World Championships.
- 2019: Olympians Club of Victoria John Landy Scholarship recipient.
- 2020 (2021): Tokyo Olympic Games – 3m platform, 14th.
