For those of you who are familiar with the story of Chantelle Newbery, Australia's golden girl, her journey has been nothing short of captivating.

With her rise to Olympic glory to a tumultuous spiral that has included jail time for a series of offences, including shoplifting groceries, her story is one of unexpected twists and turns.

Chantelle Newbery's diving career was meteoric, but her life after diving took some unexpected turns. Credit: YouTube/Olympics.

Born in Melbourne, Newbery's career began when she made a splash on the international stage at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships in Perth, where she claimed a bronze medal in the thrilling 3m springboard event.

The accolades kept coming as she went on to become Commonwealth champion, winning the gold medal in the 1m springboard event at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. And just two days later, she added another silver medal in the 3m springboard.

She also finished fourth in the synchronised 3m springboard event at the 2000 Olympic Games.

But her crowning achievement came four years later when she wrote herself into the history books by becoming the first Australian Olympic diver to win gold in more than 80 years at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games. She clinched gold in the 10m platform event, ahead of Lao Lishi of China and fellow Australian Loudy Tourky.

In recognition of her achievements, Newbery was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2005 Australia Day Honours and was inducted into the Australian Institute of Sport's 'Best of the Best' hall of fame.

A true legend in the sport of diving. But few would have predicted where Chantelle's story would lead next…

Newbery before her gold-winning dive at the 2004 Olympics. Credit: YouTube/Olympics.

In 2014, Newbery's tumultuous journey took an unexpected turn when she admitted to a string of drug offences. However, instead of facing conviction, she was given a second chance to turn her life around by agreeing to a rehabilitation program.

In an emotional interview with Channel 9's A Current Affair, Newbery opened up about her struggles and revealed that her descent into drug use began around the time after her divorce from fellow diver Robert Newbery, which was followed by the death of her new partner and her mother.

'I have experimented with a couple of things, but I wouldn't say I was a drug user,' she told the show.

Newbery also candidly spoke about her battle with chronic depression, admitting that she had sought help from a GP and had been referred for further treatment during the difficult times leading up to her court case.

In 2018, Newbery's downward spiral took a darker turn when she was arrested for repeatedly failing to show up to court. She pleaded guilty to six counts of stealing, two counts of failure to appear, and one count of contravening the direction or requirement of police.

​

Fast forward to 2021, Newbery's struggles continue as she admitted to facing homelessness, and was caught red-handed with an ice pipe while being stopped for shoplifting groceries and bed sheets from Woolworths and Target.

She pleaded guilty to stealing and possessing drug utensils, and during the court case, the judge was made aware of Newbery's previous sentence of four-month intensive correction order for stealing groceries, only to repeat the same offence days later – a true testament to the struggles and addiction that this once Olympic champion is facing.

Newbery's latest run-in with the law came to a head on July 28 last year, when she was caught on camera brazenly walking out of a store with a trolley full of stolen items worth $383. When confronted by police, she reportedly stated that she had no food and no money to pay for it.

Months later, her legal woes continued as she pleaded guilty to unlicensed driving, her licence was then suspended by SPER.

Faced with her latest criminal convictions, Newbery was sentenced to eight months in jail but was ultimately released on immediate parole by Magistrate Kay Phillipson, who acknowledged the diver's difficult situation, saying: 'You really need to turn things around.'

The only reason Newbery wasn't given a harsher sentence was because she is caring for her 18-month-old niece.

Key Takeaways

• Chantelle Newbery is a former Olympic Gold Medalist diver, and she was recently convicted of stealing groceries from Woolworths and unlicensed driving.
• Newbery has had a string of legal issues in recent years, including drug utensil possession and multiple counts of shoplifting.
• She has been struggling with depression and financial hardship since her mother's death and the end of her marriage.

The story of Chantelle Newbery serves as a reminder of the highs and lows we can experience in life. It's also a reminder that no one should have to face these struggles alone. Whether it's family, friends, or professionals help, it's essential to have a support system in place when facing hardship.

If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time, please don't hesitate to reach out and ask for help.

In times of crisis, organisations like Lifeline are available to provide confidential and compassionate support. Their crisis support service is available 24/7 at 13 11 14, where trained professionals are ready to provide short-term support for people who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping or staying safe.

Remember, you're not alone, and help is just a phone call away.

 

[Maurie7]

Doesn't matter who you are, you do the crime you do the time.

 

[leostar]

Very sad, these people need help, love and understanding.

 

[Gazman]

And, if that was just an ordinary member of public there would be no mercy shown. Why are sports people given so many chances?

 

[MindyMac]

Some of the Food Banks are so far away from many people. If she has lost her licence and has no money then how can she get there to get boxes of food for her and her baby niece that she is caring for. I wonder how many people are raiding the big bin collection bins at Westfields collection areas where stores like Woollies, Coles, Aldi, IGA, and other food outlets including fruit markets dump so much food. They have to and good on them. I have $4 in my wallet/handbag and will have about $25 until my first pension payment in February. I have just paid my insurance which is top cover and sure enough it has flattened my bank account. Luckily I also have about $1,300 that I need to collect from Medicare but have been unable to make it to Centrelink where Medibank is now located. I have food in the freezer, plenty of cat for food wet & dry for by cats and the strays that come into eat. So, all I need if some more milk, some bread, Lebanese cucumbers, bananas ... and I know that I will make it.

Before anyone thinks about why home & contents insurance so expensive, I did insurance claims for 35 years, home, contents, cars, commercial trucks including those large mine trucks, commercial insurance, international travel claims and I 'excelled' in Insurance Fraud. I was considered one of the best. I gave the authority on Air Ambulances for claimants on travel claims which had a limit of $300,000. I had cheque authority and would either approve or reject another claims person's claim payment. So, I know a thing and MORE about how claims work and know how Fraudsters think. I have seen it all.