Meeting alongside the World Aquatics Diving World Cup stop that finished on Sunday in Montreal, athletes and leaders expressed their appreciation at the prospect of competing again in Zapopan in Mexico. While the forthcoming World Aquatics Diving World Cup stop scheduled for 5-8 March will no longer take place, international diving competition is still very much in the city’s future.
Many of the world’s best divers currently in Montreal also took part in the World Aquatics Diving World Cup stop in Zapopan in 2025. Mexican Minister of Sport Rommel Pacheco joined athletes and aquatics leaders in person, inviting them to return.
“It has been a real pleasure to hear again from divers and their teams about how much they enjoyed their time in Jalisco at last year’s World Aquatics Diving World Cup event. On behalf of the Mexican government, I have invited them to return later this year, and they are clearly looking forward to joining us in Mexico again,” said Pacheco.
In 2025, athletes from as far away as Australia succeeded in earning a place on the medal table at the Aquatic Metropolitan Centre CODE in Zapopan. Buoyed by a home crowd, Mexican divers finished second in the standings among an elite field.
“A lot of my fellow divers have expressed their solidarity with Mexican athletes and everyone who has been working so hard to host international competitions for our sport in Jalisco,” said Randal Willars Valdez.
At last year’s very successful World Aquatics Diving World Cup stop in Zapopan, Willars Valdez took first place in the Men’s 10m Platform event.
“It was a joy to compete in front of Mexican spectators, and I really look forward to doing it again. I know the divers from other countries are looking forward to coming back to Mexico, too,” continued Willars Valdez.
Joining the meetings in Montreal online, World Aquatics Director General Brent Nowicki expressed the International Federation’s gratitude to Aquatics Mexico, the Mexican Federation of Diving and High Diving, CODE Jalisco, and the Mexican government for their work in hosting international diving in Zapopan.
“World Aquatics already knows from our experience in Zapopan last year that they have a great facility and a great team working to organise world-class events. We are looking forward to going back there in the future,” said Nowicki.