Aidan Heslop became the first Welsh world champion to be crowned in Doha after executing the hardest dive in the world from the 27m platform.
Heslop, who has represented Wales at the last two Commonwealth Games, sat third heading into Thursday’s fourth and final round, 21 points behind France’s Gary Hunt in first. But the 21-year-old saved his best until last as he produced a breath-taking Forward 4 Somersaults 3 1/2 Twists Pike (5187B) – the hardest dive in the world – to land 27m High Diving gold.
The stunning dive took Heslop 9.70 points clear of Hunt to claim his, and Wales’, first high diving world title. His gold means that each of the four Welsh athletes representing Great Britain have won medals so far.
“As I said before, the dives weren’t exactly what I was looking for, especially on the first day – but today, I put that dive down like it should be most of the time,” said Heslop after being crowned World Champion. “It was pretty consistent today, and when you’ve got the big dives, that’s all you need to be on the top of the podium. I’m ecstatic, absolutely, but there’s more to be done, that’s for sure.
“That dive has brought me happiness and sadness at different competitions. It’s been good this week – I was really nervous up on top, as you would be, but I knew what I needed to do, and the two I’ve done in training this week have been pretty excellent as well.
“I think this was probably the worst of the three, actually, but if it’s enough to get me on top of the podium, I’m happy with that right now!”
“Being at the forefront of some of the biggest dives that people are doing nowadays is fun. It’s risky, but it’s fun.
“We are throwing these big dives that are most of the times within our limits, and we know what those are. But to deliver those in competition is a completely different story.
“It’s risky, but it’s fun – it’s a little bit of everything, and I really like the position I’m in right now, and what I am doing to help develop the sport and develop these bigger dives.”
