Australian diver Cassiel Rousseau made history by securing the men’s 10m platform gold medal at the prestigious World Aquatics Championships on July 22, putting an end to China’s dominance in diving events.
Rousseau’s remarkable victory marked the first time China failed to win the gold in any of the 12 diving events at the championship. Previously finishing fourth in the Budapest worlds, Rousseau’s brilliance shone during the fifth dive, taking advantage of Lian Junjie’s unexpected misstep on the challenging 207B – back 3.5 somersaults pike – which earned Lian a mere 70.20 points.
Throughout the competition, Rousseau maintained a slim 1.05-point lead over Britain’s Kyle Kothari, while Lian trailed by 8.50 points. The pressure mounted as the final dive approached, resulting in a thrilling neck-and-neck battle between Rousseau and Lian.
READ MORE: Lionel Messi’s MLS Debut Celebrated on Apple’s Season Pass
Both divers delivered stunning performances, earning an impressive 98.05 points each for their identical dives. Ultimately, Rousseau’s overall score of 520.85 points secured him the coveted gold medal.
Ecstatic with his victory, Rousseau expressed his confidence before the final dive, saying, “I knew that I was going to come in first place before that final dive. Rather than being nervous, I was just excited by the realization of the fact that I actually had the possibility of taking the gold medal.”
Rousseau attributed his triumph to years of dedicated training, stating, “All my training up until this point has led me to this moment of overwhelming triumph. To completely fulfill the potential that was granted to me by that final dive was absolutely incredible.”
READ MORE: Virat Kohli Breaks Five-Year Drought, Achieves 29th Test Century
While China’s Lian Junjie claimed the silver medal with an impressive score of 512.35, his teammate Yang Hao secured the bronze with 504.00 points. Meanwhile, Britain’s Kyle Kothari unfortunately faltered in his last dive, dropping to fifth place.
Lian Junjie graciously praised Rousseau’s outstanding performance, describing it as “excellent.” He also candidly admitted that he fell short of his best, saying, “This 10m platform diving is always highly competitive, so I felt slightly pressured. My next goal is, more than anything, the Olympic Games in Paris next year. I want to do better in the Olympics.”
With this incredible triumph, Cassiel Rousseau has etched his name in diving history, breaking China’s stranglehold on the World Aquatics Championships and inspiring the diving world with his exceptional skills.
READ MORE: Spain’s Dominant Win, Canada’s Frustrating Draw: Women’s World Cup
