In the program of the Olympics, diving has been present since 1904. At competitions, athletes perform jumping from a springboard and from a platform of various heights. The judges evaluate the cleanliness of the entry into the water and the quality of the screws, rotations and revolutions. In addition, in synchronized jumping competitions, the synchronization of the performance of acrobatic elements by two athletes is taken into account.
Competition
Olympic events include platform diving and springboard diving. A tower is a rigid panel installed above the water level at a height of 10 meters. The springboard is a flexible board with an adjustable spring positioned three meters above the water. Athletes must complete several jumps from the main exercise groups.
Difficulty
Jumping into the water includes several elements: tuck, spin, bent jump, and somersault. Each is made up of a combination of elements. He is assigned a certain degree of difficulty, which determines the level of the diver's skill in the water. At each stage, athletes perform a series of jumps. First, a panel of judges of 7 people will evaluate individual dives on a 10-point scale. The best 2 and the worst 2 are not taken into account, and the remaining 3 are summed up and multiplied by the jump difficulty coefficient, the value of which depends on the number of somersaults and flips. The difficulty rating for Olympic diving competitions can range from 1.3 to 3.6.
Refereeing
The judges evaluate the performance of the jump and entry into the water of the athlete, the run and the ascent. A run that is smooth and strong is especially appreciated. The jump must be confident and powerful while maintaining balance and self-control. Jump execution is the most important element and is evaluated for technique, mechanics, grace and form. There should be a little splashing when entering the water, the body of the athlete should be almost vertically straight.
Synchronized diving
Synchronized diving competitions are judged by 9 referees. Of these, 5 judges evaluate only the synchronicity of the jump and 4 judges - the technique of performing the jump of divers into the water - two for each of the athletes. The judges who monitor the synchronization of the jump, track the distance from the springboard to the place of entry, the simultaneous entry into the water, the synchrony in the takeoff and jump, the coordination of all movements in flight in time, the identity of the angles of entry into the water. The highest and lowest scores are excluded, the final score is calculated in the same way as for single jumps.
Competition format
In the diving competition, after the preliminary stage, 18 semi-finalists are determined, 12 of whom will be in the finals following the results of the semi-final series of jumps. 8 pairs of divers take part in the synchronized jumping competition.
Olympic qualification
Each country has a limit on the number of participants up to 2 athletes in each type of competition. Moreover, if 2 athletes from a country intend to take part in the competition, they must comply with the "A" standard, and if only 1 athlete from the country will participate, then the "B" standard.
