On a hot Saturday morning, 37 of the world’s best high divers contested the first World Aquatics event ever to be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain. After two rounds (of four), the big names led the way in Manama’s north harbor.

Women’s 20m

On the women’s 20m platform, Australian Rhiannan Iffland, 33, built a 5.40-point lead over Canada’s Simone Leathead, 21, with two dives remaining on Sunday.

"We saw some incredible dives from high divers today, really well-executed,” Iffland said, and that the addition of a second high diving World Cup this year, in October, is “special for someone like me, who’s been in the sport for almost a decade.”

Two-time world championship runner-up Molly Carlson, 25, of Canada currently sits in third place despite throwing the hardest women’s dive executed on Saturday (a forward quad with a half twist which carried a 4.4 degree of difficulty). It only scored 6.5s, however, so Carlson trails Iffland, her longtime rival, by 13.00 points. Carlson can certainly make up the difference on Sunday, and perhaps NOT being in the lead removes some pressure. Seven months ago, at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Carlson led after the first three rounds and was on the verge breaking Iffland’s attempt at a four-peat, only to watch the Aussie surpass her on the final dive to clinch the gold medal.

Carlson said of Saturday’s 4.4 DD dive: “It had the best take off jump I have ever done” and regardless of the score, “ending the day in the top-3 with my teammate Simone is so much fun."

American teammates Kaylea Arnett, 31, and Meili Carpenter, 36, were in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Arnett, who placed fourth at this year’s world championships, said, “For this competition, I am doing some easier dives…focusing on being more comfortable and confident. It is paying off, and I will stick with the same approach tomorrow.”

Men’s 27m

On the men’s 27-meter platform, the 2023 world champion Constantin Popovici, 35, of Romania put together two consistent dives to take the lead at the midpoint of the competition. Trailing him by merely 4.20 points is the ex-trampoline specialist James Lichtenstein of the US, who is brimming with confidence after scoring his first victory in the Red Bull Cliff Diving series last month in Oslo.

Lichtenstein, 29, said afterwards that he had room to improve but was satisfied with Saturday’s performance. “I did my job,” he said. “I hope to carry this momentum into tomorrow's final.”

Spain’s Carlos Gimeno, 34, is in third, 11.20 points behind Popovici, followed by three-time world championship medalist Jonathan Paredes, 35, of Mexico.

The big surprise of the day was that Aidan Heslop, the reigning world champion, was in fifth place at the midpoint. As the first man to dive on Saturday, the 22-year-old Brit was upended by his easiest dive in round one (where the maximum DD is capped at 2.8).  His reverse two somersaults pike put him in 15th place (of 21 starters), which proved that his flipping technique has a way to go before it matches his incredible spinning prowess. Heslop will try to battle his way back on Sunday in an effort to win the first high diving World Cup of the year.  (The second World Cup will be in Brasilia, Brazil, from October 11-13.)

Overall, Heslop said, “Happy with today, and looking to leapfrog into the podium spots tomorrow.” He also admitted that he has backed off on his training in Bahrain a bit, “trying to save my body for the upcoming competitions.”

Sunday’s finals will begin with all the men making their third and fourth dives at 9:32 and 10:14 a.m. Bahrain time, followed by the women’s final two dives at 11:47 a.m. and 12:20 p.m.

Top 5 women after 2 rounds (of 4)

  1. IFFLAND, Rhiannan (AUS) 163.80
  2. LEATHEAD, Simone (CAN) 158.40
  3. CARLSON, Molly (CAN) 150.80
  4. ARNETT Kaylea (USA) 147.80
  5. CARPENTER, Meili (USA) 146.25

Top 5 men after 2 rounds (of 4)

  1. POPOVICI Constantin (ROU)  193.20
  2. LICHTENSTEIN, James (USA) 189.00
  3. GIMENO, Carlos (ESP) 182.00
  4. PAREDES, Jonathan (MEX) 178.50
  5. HESLOP, Aidan (GBR) 177.90