DOHA, Qatar –  A few hours after 13-year-old Huang Jianjie captivated crowds at Hamad Aquatic Center by winning mixed 10m synchro gold with Zhang Jiaqi for China, history was made in the 1m springboard event. Not only was China toppled in that discipline for the first time since 2005, but Mexico emerged with its first male world champion in diving: Osmar Olvera Ibarra. The 19-year-old led from start to finish and threw the hardest dive of the competition at the end. Li Shixin, a two-time world champion on 1m claimed silver for Australia at age 35. Great Britain’s Ross Haslam took bronze.

Men’s 1m

Seven months ago, when Osmar Olvera Ibarra of Mexico captured two silver medals at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, he told WorldAquatics.com that in order to beat China, he needed to “be out there more,” competing more so the judges would know him better. His wish came true in Qatar.

On Saturday night in Doha, Olvera Ibarra, dove consistently through all six rounds of the men’s 1m event, and never let go of his lead. By the end, his 431.75 point total left a 36.05-point chasm between himself and the silver medalist Li Shixin of Australia. Ross Haslam of Great Britain claimed the bronze, 2.6 points behind Shixin, despite being in seventh place after two dives.

After making history, Olvera Ibarra said, “This world title is worth all the efforts. It’s a dream come true and extra motivation for what comes next.”  He added, “I want to keep competing well and improving on the road to Paris, so that I can get there in the best shape and become an Olympic medalist.”

Li, the silver medalist who turns 36 next week, said, “Eleven years ago, I became a [two-time world] champion. Now, I feel like I am a new champion. It is a new history. If I retire this year, it’s a very good happy ending for me. I am going to compete on the 3m here and I feel very confident before this competition thanks to these first two days.” Li also helped Australia win the mixed team bronze on Day 1.

Bronze medalist Haslam was overjoyed. “It’s insane!” he said, “probably one of the best medals I’ve ever had in my life! Actually, the 3m [event] is the goal; the 1m springboard was just a bonus in order to get ready.

Haslam also revealed that a new job helped him succeed. “I used to get so worried about competing and put so much pressure on myself,” he said. “It all got so pointless. Honestly, coaching helped me to stay grounded. Sometimes when I’m nervous, I think, ‘What would I tell one of my divers if they were saying the same things I’m saying to myself?’ Sometimes it is just actually about believing in yourself.”

Meanwhile, China’s lone finalist, Zheng Jiuyuan placed 11^th in the 12-man final after uncharacteristically scoring 39.00 and 31.35 points on two of his dives. Zheng, the 2023 world championship bronze medalist, had just started to recover from a botched second dive that had put him in eighth place. He climbed all the way up to fourth place. But then, the 19-year-old met disaster. He landed his fifth dive, a forward 3½ pike, bent at the waist. His hope for a save was lost. And for the first time at the world championships, dating back to 1991, China would not win a men’s 1m medal.

Mixed Synchro 10m

Earlier on Saturday, however, China prevailed in the newer mixed 10m synchro event. Thirteen-year-old Huang Jianjie and Zhang Jiaqi, 19, not only won gold with exquisite synchronization, but they gave China its sixth consecutive world championship title. Remarkably, the duo had only practiced together for three weeks.

The younger Huang admitted “I was very nervous but I actually managed it well. My family is at home so I am alone. Many times, I feel sad and homesick; I used to cry a lot, but then I realised it is a part of being an athlete. We want to make the Chinese people proud.”

Personally, Zhang said, “This medal is very special to me; I like the design. We can go home now and celebrate Chinese New Year! We are leaving at midnight. My New Year's resolution is to find a boyfriend in Paris.”

The two teenagers dominated the competition so much that by round four (of five) they had a 40.26-point lead over Im Yong Myong, 22, and Jo Jin Mi, 19, of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Im and Jo were in second-place all day and claimed the silver.

The race for bronze came down to the last dive. Germany had been in medal position all afternoon, but Mexico’s Kevin Berlin Reyes and Alejandra Estudillo Torres had the hardest optional dive list – one that included a forward 4½.  Just when it looked like Mexico’s strategy might have backfired, the duo advanced from fourth place up to third with a back 2½ with 2½ twists.

The suspense didn’t end until the very last dive of the event. Fans at Hamad Aquatic Center fell silent waiting to see if the US could bump Mexico off with their hardest dive of the day. Tyler Wills, 18, and Bayleigh Cranford, 18, earned a big score for their well-timed and well-aligned reverse 3½ (with 3.4 DD), but only enough to edge past Germany and place fourth.  

“This has been the most wonderful World Championships debut I could have imagined,” said Estudillo Torres of Mexico. “I’m excited that my first event at this level comes with a medal. I will always have these moments in my heart.”

Her partner, Berlin Reyes, felt the same way. “Winning a medal is the best way to start a world championships; it gives me great motivation ahead of the upcoming events here.” Last year, Berlin Reyes earned bronze in men’s 10m synchro, contributing to his country’s six world championship medals, a record for Mexico’s divers.

“We can definitely beat Fukuoka’s six medal tally here,” Berlin Reyes said, “as long as we keep working hard and [stay] focused.”

Next:   

On Sunday, find out who will win the fifth world championship diving title in Doha, in men’s 3m synchro event.