How high is the platform in Olympic diving?
Currently, the highest dive in the Olympic games is the 10-meter platform. This platform is featured in the 10m Platform and Synchronised 10m Platform events, for both men and women. Olympic diving also features a 3-meter springboard, used in the 3-meter Springboard and Synchronized 3-m Springboard events for both men and women.
The 10-Meter Platform
In the 10m platform event, divers jump and perform acrobatics from a stable platform that is 10 meters, about 32 feet, above the pool. The 10-meter platform was introduced into the Olympic program for men in 1904, and for women in 1912.
Olympic High Diving History
From 1912 until 1924, the 10-meter platform in the Olympics was called “fancy high diving,” and a separate event called “plain high diving” was also featured. In plain high diving, the diver would leap from a 10-meter platform, but would not perform any tricks while in the air. The goal of plain high diving was to create as little splash as possible when hitting the water.
Plain high diving was considered too boring after the 1924 Olympics, so it was replaced with the 3-meter springboard, in which divers would perform tricks in the air. Fancy high diving became the only 10-meter platform event in the Olympics from that point onwards.
Synchronized Diving
Starting in 2000, synchronized diving was added to the Olympic Games. Instead of just one person jumping from a springboard or platform, teams of two do so together, performing the same synchronized acrobatics while in the air. The 10-meter synchronized platform is the highest synchronized dive in the Olympics for both men and women.
FAQ
What is the lowest platform in Olympic diving?
The lowest platform in Olympic diving is a 3-meter diving board designed to generate bounce, which is used in the 3-m Springboard and Synchronised 3-m Springboard events. This is the same event that originally replaced “plain high diving” in the Olympic Games.
Who won the gold medal for the 10m platform and synchronized 10m platform at the 2020 Olympics?
The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan featured eight total diving events. Of these events, four took place using the height of 10 meters for diving. For the 10-Meter Platform, Cao Yuan of China took home the gold medal in the men’s event, while Quan Hongchan of China won gold in the women’s event. For the Synchronized 10-Meter Platform, the gold medal in the men’s event was won by Tom Daley and Matty Lee of Great Britain. The gold medal in the women’s Synchronized 10-Meter Platform event was won by Chen Yuxi and Zhang Jiaqi of China. Impressively, China dominated the diving competition by taking home seven out of eight gold medals overall.
What country has the most Olympic medals in diving events?
The United States is the current all-time leader in total Olympic diving medals, with 141. This total consists of 49 gold medals, 46 silver medals, and 46 bronze medals. While this total may sound impressive in and of itself, the United States is also leading the next closest medal-earning country, China, by 60 total medals. Following the conclusion of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, China sits at 81 collective medals in Olympic diving events. Clearly, the United States has exhibited consistent success in Olympic diving since its addition to the Olympic Games in 1904.