‘The fear never goes away': High divers open up about their sport at World Aquatics Championships

Straits Times

4 days ago

Mexico's Jonathan Paredes said that even F1 drivers feel fear when stepping into their cars and going 300kmh.
SINGAPORE – People see high divers as daredevils for risking serious injuries every time they jump off a cliff or tall platform. But underneath that calm facade is the inherent feeling of dread each time the athletes step up to the edge.
Ask four-time high diving world champion Rhiannan Iffland, and she would readily admit to feeling afraid, even now.
The Australian said: 'Every time I get up to the 20-metre platform, I have that sense of fear and everything. It just never goes away.
'Because it is scary getting up there. Every single time you walk up and you think about the 'what ifs', and you think about the things that could go wrong.'
The extreme sport, which entails men leaping from a platform 27 metres high and women taking the plunge from 20m, is seen as the most death-defying event at the World Aquatics Championships (WCH).
Iffland, who claimed world titles in 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2024, is among the 16 women and 23 men who are competing in high diving at the Palawan Green in Sentosa from July 24 to 27.
The 33-year-old heads the women's field after two rounds on July 24 with 169.50 points, ahead of Canadian Molly Carlson (165.80) and Colombia's Maria Paula Quintero (146.10).
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Canada's Molly Carlson slipped off the platform during a jump in Italy and admits that it had taken a toll on her mental state.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
A self-confessed adrenaline junkie, Iffland is not alone in having to constantly conquer her fear.
Carlson too noted the worry she felt, especially after a near-tragic incident on June 29, when she slipped as she was jumping off the 22-metre platform at the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Italy.
The Canadian went into an uncontrolled fall, but managed to land feet-first into the water and did not suffer any major injuries.
The 26-year-old recalled: 'Italy was terrifying. I slipped off the platform and fell out of control. No injuries, but it did play with my mental (state) and for that, it took a lot to come back strong.'
And she will be doing the same dive on July 25.
'I'm really happy I made some easy dives (on July 24), and I can just go into tomorrow with a fresh (outlook) and hopefully not slip off the platform.'
On regaining her courage to dive again, Carlson said: 'For me, it's about being comfortable with the fear… I see my sports psychologist and we (agreed) that this is a scary sport.
'You're allowed to have those feelings, recognise them, let them be there and do the best that you can with them. Definitely don't push it away.'
Men's diver Jonathan Paredes, 35, said the 'fear will never go away', even after many years in the sport.
'And that's good, because I always tell people that you have Formula One and I've never seen any (driver) jumping in that car, driving 300kmh, and not being scared,' added the Mexican.
'And I think that's part of life, and that makes you respect your sport and feel proud about it.'
Gary Hunt, one of the oldest competitors in Singapore at 41, said it is a different type of fear he feels now.
The British-born Frenchman said: 'It's not the same fear as what it used to be, for sure. In the first 10 years, for the first dives of the season, my legs would be shaking, but I don't feel that any more.
'But there's different fears. I went through very difficult periods where I was getting lost in the air, and so that completely broke my confidence, and I had to build that confidence back up.'
Hunt is fourth overall on 200.55 points after the first two rounds on July 24, behind Spanish leader Carlos Gimeno (218.40), Romania's Constatin Popovici (216.50) and American James Lichtenstein (212.80).
With the extreme event gaining traction among young people, the divers are hoping high diving can one day make it onto the Olympic roster.
Carlson said: 'I think seeing the sport grow is so important. I know that the more we compete here, it's just going to keep growing.
'We obviously want to be an Olympic sport, and it just takes having a lot more countries. So the more we're posting on social media, the more people will know that we're here.'
Australia's Rhiannan Iffland in action during her high dive at the Women's 20m platform rounds one and two at the World Aquatics Championships.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Iffland added: 'The sport has definitely grown, especially in the last five years. Training facilities are popping up all over the world, and the group of people are getting younger.
'It would be a great thing for the sport if it does (get) introduced into the Olympic Games… I think there's still some way to go but the spectators would love it.'
The divers will compete in two more rounds on July 25 before the women complete their final two sessions on July 26 and the men on July 27.