Simone Leathead of Canada clinched her first world championship medal in Singapore on Saturday, securing a silver in the women’s 20-meter high dive event. The Montreal native made a remarkable ascent from fourth place to second with her final dive, an inward three somersaults ½ twist pike that earned her 90 points.
Expressing her joy after the competition, Leathead mentioned that adverse weather conditions added a twist to the day but she was immensely proud of her performance. Coming from a diving background, participating in the world championships had always been a dream for her, and standing on the podium was a significant achievement.
The 22-year-old finished behind Australian veteran Rhiannan Iffland, who claimed the gold and secured her fifth world championship title. Iffland, 33, shared her surprise and gratitude for achieving five world titles, emphasizing that it was beyond her expectations a decade ago.
Completing the podium was American teenager Maya Kelly, who made history by becoming the youngest-ever high diving medallist at the world championships with her bronze-medal finish.