Alexandre Despatie retires from diving

Celebrated Olympian Alexandre Despatie is retiring from diving.

Despatie, who has won silver medals in the 3-metre springboard event at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and gold medals on the 1-metre, 3-metre and 10-metre events at the world championships, made the announcement at a press conference Tuesday morning.

Hopes were high for Desparie heading into the London 2012 Olympics, but he hit his head on a diving board and suffered a concussion during training in the weeks leading up to the event. He still competed and placed 11th in the 3-metre springboard.

Despatie, a native of Lavel, Que., said it was time to move on from the sport, which he started competing in at age 13.

“I never thought this day would ever come,” he told reporters. “It’s not a day I thought about but after 22 years in diving, it’s time to do something else in life.”