Diving

Diving is not considered to be a separate sport but rather a discipline of swimming, or technically aquatics, and as such is governed by World Aquatics. The international federation contests five disciplines of aquatic competition – swimming, diving, artistic swimming (formerly synchronized swimming), marathon (open-water) swimming, and water polo. The organization was founded as the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) on 19 July 1908 in London, and was known as such until December 2022, when it changed to its current name. World Aquatics has 209 national federations as members as of 2024.

Diving contests are known to have been held in the 19th century, although the sport is relatively modern. It was held at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, and its appearance on the Olympic Programme has been continuous since that time. Diving has been contested in two basic events at the Olympics – 3-metre springboard and 10-metre platform, with men and women contesting both events. Four new diving events were added to the Olympic Programme for 2000, the first change to the diving programme since 1924. These were two-person synchronized diving competitions for men and women on both platform and springboard. World Aquatics also contests mixed synchronized events at the World Aquatics Championships.

At the World Championships, men and women have competed in high diving events since 2013, with 27 metres for men and 20 metres for women. World Aquatics has petitioned to have this discipline added to the Olympic Programme, but without success through 2024.

The United States dominated the sport of diving until the 1990s, perhaps more than any sport has been dominated at the Olympics. In the late 1980s, the Chinese entered diving competition and posed the first serious threat to this dominance. While the United States’ Greg Louganis, considered the greatest diver ever, was still competing, the Chinese men posted few victories. But the Chinese men and women have been formidable since 1990. Through 2024, the USA has won 139 medals and 48 gold medals in this discipline, but China now leads the gold medal count, with 55 golds and a total of 92 medals.

As of 2024, Louganis still leads the men’s competition gold score, with four golds, but is now equaled in number of gold medals by Chinese diver Cao Yuan. Russian Dmitry Sautin has won the most medals on the men’s side, with eight medals and two golds, followed by Cao Yuan, with a total of six medals.

On the women’s side, Chinese Wu Minxia and Chen Ruolin lead the tally, each with five gold medals. Minxia is also the female diver with the most medals, with seven, followed by her compatriot Guo Jingjing, with six.