The 2024 World Aquatics High Diving World Cup season served as the qualification pathway for the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025. As the world’s best prepare to compete on the sport’s biggest stage, we look closer at the athletes set to compete from the breathtaking heights of the 20m and 27m platforms.
Up next in the men’s competition is Andrea Barnaba. At only 20 years old, he is emerging as a rising star in high diving, building a strong reputation and showing great potential for the 2025 season ahead.
We put Andrea into the question-and-answer hot seat. Here's what we got from him:
Favorite Competition Location
Hailing from Italy, Barnaba has already leaped off iconic landmarks like the opera house in Oslo, where he performed on a 30-meter platform. “It was pretty cool,” he shared. “The photos and everything were amazing.”
Dream Spot to Dive
While his resume already includes impressive locations, his dream dive spot is the Sydney Opera House. “I think it’s pretty cool,” Barnaba said with enthusiasm. “Red Bull is doing a competition there, so I hope one day I can be there.”
Pre-Dive Rituals
Despite the intensity of high diving, Barnaba has a remarkably calm pre-competition ritual. “I usually don’t listen to music. I prefer to chill during my free moments, warm up a little, and then go up.” He does have one unique habit: ensuring he’s wet before stepping onto the platform. “I always bring bottles of water to pour on myself,” he explains.
Signature Dive
Barnaba’s adventurous spirit shines through in his diving style. He’s even experimented with the daring “dead dive,” where the diver enters the water chest-first. “I’ve done it from 20 meters, just for fun. Maybe with some training, I’ll try it from 27 meters one day.”
Celebrity to Invite
If he could invite a celebrity to watch him dive, Barnaba jokingly named Brad Pitt. “He’s so famous; it would be pretty cool,”