Rio to host its first global aquatics
competition since the 2016 Summer Olympics
LAUSANNE - The world’s best age-group
divers will head to the Brazilian seaside city of Rio de Janeiro for the World
Aquatics Junior Diving Championships from 24 November – 1 December 2024. Over
250 up-and-coming elite divers between the ages of 14-18 representing more than
40 countries are expected to compete in the fabled sporting city.
Divers at the World Aquatics Junior
Diving Championships 2024 will be divided into two age groups: athletes aged
16-18 will compete in Group A while athletes aged 14-15 will compete in Group
B.
Both age divisions will compete in
the boys’ and girls’ individual platform (5m, 7.5m, 10m) and springboard (1m,
3m) events. The age groups will be combined for the boys’ and girls’
synchronised diving springboard (3m) and platform (5m, 7.5m, 10m) events as
well as the Mixed Team Event.
Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre, the diving
competition venue for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, will be home to the
competition. Part of a greater Olympic multi-sports complex, the aquatic centre
is part of an impressive cluster of nine sporting venues in Rio’s western
neighbourhood of Barra da Tijuca that served as the central sporting focal
point of the 2016 Games.
“Junior Worlds was the highlight of
my junior career; it was the biggest competition that I had done. Looking back
on it now, I’m appreciative of the experience as it helped me to get where I
am, having gone to the World Championships on a senior level,” said athlete
Ingrid Oliveira.
“I train daily in the Maria Lenk
Aquatic Centre, home of diving at the Rio 2016 Olympics. As a fan of diving, I
can’t wait to watch the next generation dive in this storied venue with world
junior titles on the line. I am sure it will be an amazing experience for all
the competitors.”
The World Junior Diving Championships
mark the 24th World Aquatics event to take place in Brazil, with Rio de Janeiro
playing host to 14 of these competitions. After a string of holding 20 World
Aquatics events since the turn of the century, these championships mark the
first time Brazil has hosted an international aquatics event since the Rio 2016
Games.
Brazilian Diving Federation President
Ricardo Moreira expressed his excitement in Rio hosting its first World
Aquatics event since 2016 when the Diving World Cup and the Olympic Games
Artistic Swimming Qualification Tournament played an instrumental role in
athletes realising their dreams of competing in the Olympics.
“As we prepare to host the World
Aquatics Junior Diving Championships 2024 at the iconic Rio 2016 Olympic diving
venue, we are not just organizing an event; we are crafting an opportunity for
the future of diving in Brazil. Welcoming the world's top junior divers to our
shores signifies a momentous step for our sport. This event is a platform for
our emerging elite divers to showcase their talents on home turf, providing
them with invaluable exposure and experience.
“Hosting a major international
age-group competition is more than an honour; it is a catalyst for the
trajectory of our young divers' careers. It symbolises a commitment to
nurturing talent, fostering growth, and creating a legacy that extends beyond
the competition itself. As these talented athletes take to the boards, they are
not just diving; they are soaring towards their dreams.”
First held in 1977 in Woodlands, USA,
the World Aquatics Junior Championships in Rio de Janeiro will be the event’s
25th edition. Montreal, Canada hosted the preceding Junior Diving Championships
in December 2022.
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