| Gary Hunt (GBR) among men and Adriana Jimenez (MEX) in the women’s field were the winners of the 4th FINA High Diving World Cup, staged in Abu Dhabi (UAE) on April 28-29, 2017. The British star concluded the two-day competition, with a total of 443.40 after the four dives included in the programme, while the Mexican winner amassed 316.45 points. Hunt was already the winner of this event in 2016 and he is the current world champion, while this was the first success at this level for Jimenez.
In the men’s competition (23 divers were present in the capital of the United Arab Emirates), the minor medals went to Steve Lobue, from USA, who got the silver in 405.30, while Michal Navratil, from Czech Republic, earned bronze in 381.95. The US star upgraded his previous result from a FINA competition, after being twice third at the 2014 and 2015 editions of the World Cup. Navratil, whose best previous performance had been a fourth placing at the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona (ESP), got his first podium presence in a FINA event.
Previous medallists in the World Cup were not so lucky this time: Jonathan Paredes (MEX) finished fourth, just 0.95 shy of the bronze; Orlando Duque (COL) was sixth (350.90); and Artem Silchenko (RUS) modestly concluded in 13th (285.00)
In the women’s field (13 divers were on the entry list, but US Genevieve Bradley got injured while training and could not take part in the competition), the unprecedented victory of Jimenez was a fair reward for her regularity throughout the competition. Rhiannan Iffland, from Australia, is also a new presence in the podium, taking silver in 312.80. Yana Nestsiarava, from Belarus, equalled her best outcome in a FINA competition, earning bronze in 296.80. She was also third at the Kazan 2015 FINA World Championships.
The 2016 World Cup champion, Canada’s Lysanne Richard concluded only in ninth. Other former medallists couldn’t also repeat their previous best performances: Ginger Huber (USA) was fourth (296.30); Anna Bader (GER) finished fifth (281.95); Cesilie Carlton (USA) was the sixth best; and Helena Merten (AUS) couldn’t do better than ninth.
Medallists in Abu Dhabi (UAE):
Men
1. Gary Hunt (GBR), 443.40; 2. Steve Lobue (USA), 405.30; 3. Michal Navratil (CZE), 381.95
Women
1. Adriana Jimenez (MEX), 316.45; 2. Rhiannan Iffland (AUS), 312.80; 3. Yana Nestsiarava (BLR), 296.80 |
