Twenty-four-year-old Aidan Heslop won World Cup gold on Sunday by 24.30 points ahead of the reigning world champion James Lichtenstein of the US. But Lichtenstein didn’t make it easy. Lichtenstein’s final dive, his signature back quint, was ultra-clean and earned three 9.0s, but Heslop finished with the hardest dive in the men’s contest: a forward quad with 3½ twists. Its 6.2 degree of difficulty was enough to propel the Brit to victory, just a year after undergoing back surgery. The 2023 world champion Constantin Popovici of Romania took third, exactly 20 points behind Lichtenstein, and 44.30 behind Heslop. That meant all three of the last world champions made the podium, and all three surpassed 400 points.

On the women’s side, Rhiannan Iffland blazed a comeback of her own. When the day began, the five-time world champion was in sixth place, but the Aussie clinched the bronze thanks to her final dive, an inward triple with a half twist that scored 100.70 points. (It earned four 9.0s from the seven judges – only two of which counted.) But the event’s ultimate winner, American Kaylea Arnett, finished with a harder dive (a reverse triple pike, with 4.1 DD) that enabled her to overtake Iffland by 6.60 points and the runner-up Xantheia Pennisi by 2.40 points. Worth noting: Arnett has now defeated Iffland twice this year. (Arnett also defeated the long-reigning world champ at a Red Bull stop in Florida on June 5).

Finishing fourth was American Lisa Faulkner, 3.40 points ahead of two-time World Championships silver medalist  Molly Carlson of Canada.

Here’s what the medallists had to say afterwards.

Women’s 20m

Gold medalist Arnett, 33, said that she was tired coming into her final dive. “I was trying to save my energy for that one moment, that one burst of energy. I hit the water and…had no idea I had won until about 20 minutes later. It was like ‘Wow!’ What a wonderful surprise!’”

As for defeating Iffland for the second time in two months, Arnett said, “That’s just going to make her super-hungry. Of course, we’re always cheering for each other, but you definitely have to focus on yourself and your own performances. I’m proud of what I did today.”

Meanwhile, the silver medal was sweet for runner-up Pennisi, 27, as she had been trying to make a World Cup podium for the last five years. “I finally did it,” she said, “so all the pieces have fallen together.” Pennisi’s plan now is “to try to beat my best score every time. I just try to [keep] chipping away and working hard.”

As for Iffland, 34: “I’m super-stoked to have climbed up to the bronze-medal position,” she said. “I knew today I had to really fight and draw on my experience”

The last time Iffland was out of the top-three after the first day of competition, she said, was at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, Republic of Korea, where she eventually won her second consecutive world title (of five).

In Korea, she noted, “I dropped the same dive,” a back triple with two twists (5264B) in the second round.

Because of that, she said, “I knew I had to come in here strong. I do love a bit of pressure. It’s nice to be exposed to that intense situation. It makes me feel so alive. I was certainly more focused today than I was yesterday, and [I was] trying to enjoy the event as a whole because in five years, I don’t want to look back and be like, ‘I didn’t enjoy it because I was so stressed and so worried about results.’”

Men’s 27m

As for the men, runner-up Lichtenstein, 31, said, “I was…pretty nervous for the back quint because my warm-up one was pretty bad. I looked at videos of the one I did last year where I got 9s. In this crazy sport, anything is possible. My heart was beating [before] I saw the scores. It was another adrenaline rush again after seeing the scores. I am very satisfied.”

Bronze medallist Popovici, 37, said he was happy to make the podium in Italy because he had placed fourth at the previous World Cup in the US mid-May. Back then, he was injured. Now, he said, “I am fully recovered. I just taped myself as a prevention because I know any miscalculation can end with another injury. I’m happy to finish in one piece. I know I can do at least two dives better, but I am fully recovered and strong enough to dream about first place.”

The third and final World Cup stop of the high diving season will be November 21-22, in Zhaoqing, China.

Final Standings: Porto Flavia 2026 World Cup #2

For the women’s standings in Porto Flavia, click here

For the men’s standings, click here