Romania’s Constantin Popovici broke the record for the highest ever competition score as he secured victory in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina, while Australia’s Rhiannan Iffland cruised to a fourth consecutive win of the 2022 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Here is all you need to know:
– On a weekend of high-quality diving and amid a deluge of 10s from the judges for his rivals, it was 33-year-old Popovici who ultimately stormed to victory.
– Despite picking up only one 10 himself across the three days of competition, it was unerring consistency coupled with a high degree of difficulty that saw the Romanian beat his compatriot Catalin Preda into second place by a 23-point margin.
– Popovici’s eventual total of 481.5 points also secured the record high score from 27m in a single competition, previously held by Preda.
– Britain’s Aidan Heslop completed the top three in Mostar as the 20-year-old continued to impress, while France’s Gary Hunt found himself down in fourth.
– Popovici, 33, said: I feel very good right now and the level is growing incredibly. I knew this one was going to be tough. Mostar is always very strong, it’s mid-season and everybody is super focused, so I’m glad I was more focused than everyone else and won today.”
– Popovici’s second win of the season lifts the European High Diving Champion back into a title fight, while Preda – whose final dive into the Neretva River earned him four 10s from the judges and a fourth podium in five stops – still leads the way in the overall standings.
– In the women’s competition, five-time champion Iffland was pushed all the way by Canada’s Molly Carlson, who kicked things off with a first victory at the season opener in Boston.
– But it was Australian Iffland who used every bit of her experience and composure to nail a typically stunning final dive, picking up a 10 from one of the judges as she stretched away for her fourth win in as many stops.
– For Carlson it continues to be a hugely successful first season as a permanent diver, thanks to four podiums – including three runner-up spots – this season.
– Jessica Macaulay, last season’s World Series runner-up, completed the women’s podium in Mostar.
– Iffland, 30, said: “I think that second place in Boston gave me a little kick up the butt and it made me driven. This one was really exciting; it was back and forth between myself and Molly the whole event. I knew that with that last dive I had to do something special, and I’m super stoked I pulled it off. Four in a row really sets me up and I’m ready to go into the last rounds of the season.”
– From Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series travels to Sisikon in Switzerland for the sixth of eight stops in two weeks’ time.
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Mostar result
MEN
1. Constantin Popovici ROU 481.50 points
2. Catalin Preda ROU 458.70
3. Aidan Heslop GBR 456.30
4. Gary Hunt FRA 442.15
5. Oleksiy Prygorov UKR 429.30
WOMEN
1. Rhiannan Iffland AUS 376.40 points
2. Molly Carlson CAN 346.85
3. Jessica Macaulay CAN 317.00
4. Eleanor Smart USA 306.80
5. Meili Carpenter (W) USA 301.50
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series standings (after 5 of 8 stops)
MEN
1. Catalin Preda ROU 760 points
2. Gary Hunt FRA 680
3. Aidan Heslop GBR 646
4. Constantin Popovici ROU 609
5. Alessandro De Rose ITA 493
WOMEN
1. Rhiannan Iffland AUS 960 points
2. Molly Carlson CAN 790
3. Eleanor Smart USA 552
4. Jessica Macaulay CAN 538
5. Xantheia Pennisi AUS 466