Diving is a sport that involves jumping or landing into water from a raised surface or platform, usually while performing an acrobatic routine. It is one of the Olympic sports recognized worldwide. Furthermore, diving, which is not organized and non-competitive, is recreational.
Athletes have numerous qualities with gymnasts and dancers, including strength, flexibility, air awareness, and physical judgement. Due to the similarities between diving, gymnastics, and dancing, some professional divers were formerly trained in these sports.
Diving Olympics History
The Olympics initially implemented plain diving in the 1904 competition. 'Fancy diving' and elastic boards in place of fixed platforms were implemented at the London Olympics in 1908. Women were first enabled to compete in the diving competitions at the Stockholm Olympics in 1912. While at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the combined competition was included in the schedule.
Athletes from Team USA regularly won the diving events in the Games, but in more recent Olympics, strong competition has come from the People's Republic of China. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Chinese athletes won 12 of the 24 diving medals that were up for grabs, including 7 gold medals.
Diving Olympics Rules
- This sport has eight events that are competed in at the Olympic Games: the 10-meter platform and the 3-meter springboard (men and women).
- The high dive is executed from a fixed platform positioned 10 meters above the water, while the 3-meter springboard allows divers to leap very high into the sky.
- Competitions are held at both heights for both individuals and coordinated teams.
- A team of judges scores each dive based on several factors, such as the diver's skillful entry into the water, the difficulty of the dive, and the diver's visually appealing movements.
- Another factor that grades synchronized diving is how well the two divers coordinate their motions.
Diving Competition Format
Dives are divided into six groups: Forward, Reverse, Back, Twist, Inward, and Armstand. While the other five categories apply to both Springboard and Platform contests, the armstand group only applies to Platform competitions.
- Forward Group: The diver starts facing forward and rotates forward.
- Back Group: The diver begins with their back to the water, rotating backwards.
- Reverse Group: The diver spins backwards while taking off, looking forward.
- Inward Group: With their back to the water, the diver begins their dive and turns forward.
- The Armstand group includes any dive that starts from a handstand.
During a competition, a three-or four-digit numerical system is used to identify the divers. The number has a letter at the end to identify the position. The number for groups from 1 to 4 comprises three numbers and an alphabetical letter. The dive number for Group 5 consists of four numbers.
For Example:
- 101A – forward Group Dive
- 203C – backward and half somersaults
- 305C – two reverse and half somersaults
- 113B – one flying forward and half somersault
- 104C – front double somersaults
- 5211A – back dive, straight position, half twist.
- 5337D – In the Free position, perform a reverse and a half somersault with 3 and a half twists.