Elevating High Diving: World Aquatics High Diving Technical Committee Chairperson, Orlando Duque, shared insights on the Bahrain 2024 World Cup, the upcoming High Diving World Cup, and first-ever High Diving Junior Championships in Brazil.
Reflecting on the recent High Diving World Cup in Bahrain, Duque expressed great satisfaction with the event. "The experience in Bahrain was great," he said. It marked the first time the country hosted a high diving event, and the setup exceeded expectations despite the weather's high temperature. According to Duque, the warm weather was welcomed by the high divers, contributing to their physical comfort and overall positive mood. "Everything worked out perfectly," he noted, commending the high level of competition. The Colombian native emphasized the importance of introducing high diving events to new countries, as it plays a crucial role in the sport’s growth.
The 50-year-old impact spans high diving generations, solidifying his place in the sport’s history, present, and future. As a high diver, he transformed the sport of high diving, securing 13 world titles, including the 2013 World Championships and two World Aquatics High Diving World Cup titles. He has also set two Guinness World Records, one of them for achieving a perfect 10 at the 2000 World Championships. Although Duque retired from his competitive career in 2019, he remains deeply involved and dedicated to elevating high diving to new heights.
Looking ahead, Duque highlighted the excitement for the upcoming high diving events in Brasilia, Brazil on 11-12 October 2024. The capital will host both the first-ever Junior High Diving World Championships and stop 2 of the High Diving World Cup. "It's very exciting because it's the first time we have the World Championships for juniors," Duque explained. He emphasized the importance of nurturing young talents to ensure the sport's continued growth. “This is what we need to do for high diving to continue growing, push the sport from the base,” he added, seeing the event as a key step in developing future champions.
In a strategic move, the Junior World Championships will be held alongside the senior High Diving World Cup, fostering interaction between the generations. “It inspires them,” Duque said, noting how junior high divers will not only compete but also have the unique opportunity to observe senior high divers up close. This setup offers juniors the chance to learn directly from their role models, providing invaluable exposure and insight into the preparations and techniques of the world’s best high divers.
Brasilia’s high diving competition will also serve as a key qualifying event for the Singapore 2025 World Championships. Only the top 18 high divers from women's 20m and Men's 27m, based on the combined scores of the Bahrain and Brazil World Cups, will qualify. Duque emphasized the need for high divers to remain focused to secure their spots in the World Championships next year.
With Brazil poised to play a pivotal role in high diving’s future, Duque’s enthusiasm is clear. The upcoming events will not only continue to elevate the sport on the world stage but also inspire the next generation of high divers to reach new heights.