Four high divers have qualified to represent Great Britain at the FINA World Aquatics Championships after strong performances in China last month.
Competing at the FINA High Diving World Cup in Zhaoqing, China, Gary Hunt, Blake Aldridge, Jessica Macaulay and Owen Weymouth all booked their spots for a tilt at global glory in Gwangju, South Korea next month.
Hunt tops the pile, having won the FINA High Diving World Cup, the qualification event for Gwangju, for the second successive year. FINA High Diving World Champion in 2015 when the event took place in Kazan, Russia, Hunt will head to the Far East full of confidence, after success in China and in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, where he currently tops the standings, so will look to step onto the podium once more.
Hunt is perhaps the most famous and most decorated cliff diver in history, having been Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series champion on seven occasions. 2018 saw the Brit regain his crown after ‘only’ finishing as runner-up in 2017.
Joining him in the men’s event, which will be contested on the 22nd and 24th July, will be Blake Aldridge and Owen Weymouth, the duo securing their spots after finishing 11th and 13th respectively in Zhaoqing. Aldridge, 36, has bags of experience competing at the highest level, and he, like Hunt, is a former World Champion. Meanwhile Weymouth is at the opposite end of the spectrum, the 20 year old from Weymouth hoping to mix it on the world stage, having already won the European title from 20 metres.
Jessica Macaulay will be the sole Brit in action in the women’s event, which takes place on back to back days on the 22nd and 23rd July. 2018 was a huge breakthrough year for the American based Brit as she climbed onto the podium at three legs of the Cliff Diving World Series as a wildcard, earning a permanent slot on the series for this year.
Macaulay has made a solid start to 2019 with a fourth place finish in the Philippines in April and a fifth place finish in Italy in June. The 26 year old will make her World Championship debut in Gwangju.
For further information at the FINA World Aquatics Championships please click here.
Great Britain team:
Blake Aldridge
Gary Hunt
Jessica Macaulay
Owen Weymouth