LoBue Leading Men’s High Dive For Repeat, Mexico Seeks First High Dive Gold

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS – High DIVING

• July 22-24, 2019
• Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, South Korea
• High Diving Results

With two of four rounds of the high diving competition in the books, American Steve LoBue leads the men’s competition in a repeat bid, while Adriana Jimenez leads the women in search of Mexico’s first high diving World Championships gold.

LoBue holds a 9-point lead for the men. He scored 142.80 points on a huge second dive that scored mostly 9.0s and 9.5s today. That put him at 218.40 over two dives, ahead of Mexico’s Jonathan Paredes (209.55). No other diver is over 195 points with two dives to go.

LoBue won the 2017 World Champs gold medal in men’s high diving, scoring 397.15. All three medalists from that competition return: Czech Michal Navratil won silver last time around; he’s sitting third with 194.05 points. Italy’s Alessandro de Rose was the bronze medalist in 2017, and he sits fifth right now at 187.50.

Great Britain’s Gary Hunt is in between in fourth place. He was the 2015 world champ, with Paredes taking silver that year.

Men’s Top 8 With Two Dives Remaining

1. Steve LoBue (USA) – 218.40
2. Jonathan Paredes (MEX) – 209.55
3. Michal Navratil (CZE) – 194.05
4. Gary Hunt (GBR) – 189.00
5. Alessandro de Rose (ITA) – 187.50
6. Andy Jones (USA) – 179.50
7. Orlando Duque (COL) – 170.70
8. Nikita Fedotov (RUS) – 170.40

For the women, 2017 silver medalist Jimenez is the early leader. She hit for 7.5s and 8.0s, mostly, on her second dive. That scored 93.60 points and put her into first at 148.20. Things are very tight at the top, though. Great Britain’s Jessica Macaulay is at 145.90, and American Genevieve Bradley at 144.00.

Between Paredes (bronze in 2013, silver in 2015) and Jimenez (silver in 2017), Mexico has medaled in every edition of this event at the World Championships. (The event was only added in 2013). But they’ve never won gold. Jimenez is their best shot, especially with defending champ Rhiannan Iffland of Australia struggling on her second dive, scoring mostly 5.0s for just 66.65 points.

Women’s Top 8 With Two Dives Remaining

1. Adriana Jimenez (MEX) – 148.20
2. Jessica Macaulay (GBR) – 145.90
3. Genevieve Bradley (USA) – 144.00
4. Maria Paula Quintero (COL) – 138.70
5. Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) – 132.95
6. Xantheia Pennisi (AUS) – 125.60
7. Antonina Vyshyvanova (UKR) – 124.35
8. Jacqueline Valente (BRA) – 113.50

The women’s competition will wrap up tomorrow, and the men’s on Wednesday.