The afternoon was kicked off by the WSC's young athletes with the traditional chain jumping. The children took turns jumping from the pool edge into the water—either feet first or headfirst. As they all performed the same jump in the same rhythm, it created the impressive illusion of a moving chain.
One of the absolute highlights of the day was the men's synchronized diving from the tower. The spectators knew this too, as the hall was packed to the last seat just in time for the first final. And their attendance was well worth it. Even in the first two rounds, where the athletes performed their required dives, very high scores were awarded. The excitement only grew during the four freestyle dives that followed. Each round reshuffled the rankings, and the battle for first and second place was fierce. The athletes delivered top performances, which the audience rewarded with thunderous applause.
After six rounds, Nikita Shleikher and Ruslan Ternovoi from the Neutral Athletes secured the gold medal. They were closely followed by Ole Rösler and Espen Prenzyna from Germany, who took silver. Dariush Lotfi and Anton Knoll from Austria claimed third place. The time leading up to the awards ceremony was filled with an impressive performance by the sports acrobats of SV Warnemünde, who presented a specially choreographed routine that even incorporated the pool, delighting the audience.
Bistro
The second final of the day featured the women’s 3-meter springboard event. The top six athletes had already qualified in the morning and now had to give their all in five dives for a shot at gold. The competition was of the highest caliber, with incredibly tight scores. At one point, two divers even shared the top spot. It was an intense final with constant lead changes. In the end, Michelle Heimberg from Switzerland narrowly claimed victory with a margin of just 0.15 points. Grace Reid from Great Britain took silver, while Uliana Kiueva from the Neutral Athletes secured bronze.
OSPA groß
The final event of the day was the men’s synchronized diving from the 3-meter springboard. The athletes gave their all, as every team aimed for gold. The judges and the audience were treated to breathtaking dives featuring spectacular somersaults and twists. The scoreboard was worth keeping an eye on, as the teams were neck and neck. The tension was further heightened when a Georgian diver struck the board with his hand during his dive. It was the last dive, and unfortunately, he did not escape unscathed. The hall held its breath, but after a brief treatment, an all-clear was given.
As the competition progressed, Nikita Shleikher and Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Neutral Athletes managed to take the lead and hold onto it, earning the gold medal. Silver went to Jules Bouyer and Alexis Jandard from France, while Hugo Thomas and Leon Baker from Great Britain secured bronze.
To wrap up the event in style, the "Funny Divers" delighted both young and old with their wacky costumes and the most unconventional ways of jumping into the water.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants and spectators for this fantastic day and look forward to an equally exciting Sunday!
