Diving at the Olympics: GB team, rules and types of dive
Diving superstar Tom Daley is among the line-up this summer.
Tom Daley has become synonymous with diving over the past decade or so and Team GB has confirmed he will be on the roster again at this year's Games.
The athlete and television personality will compete in synchronised diving events with Matty Lee, in the hope of securing that coveted Olympic gold medal.
His is the most famous name on a strong list of contenders from Team GB, including 17-year-old rising star Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and current British champion James Heatly.
RadioTimes.com brings you everything you need to know about diving at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, including Team GB athletes, events, rules and more.
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When is diving at the Olympics?
Diving runs between Sunday 25th July until Saturday 7th August.
The first four days are made up of the synchronised events, with medals each day. After that, it's the turn of the individuals.
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When did diving become an Olympic sport?
Diving became an Olympic sport at the third modern event, which was held in 1904 in St Louis, Missouri, although the specific events were inconsistent until Amsterdam 1928.
Women have been competing in diving events since Stockholm 1912.
Which Team GB athletes are in Tokyo 2020?
In March 2021, Team GB announced that it would be bringing 15 divers to Tokyo's Olympic Games, with superstar Tom Daley among the names confirmed for the line-up.
Daley will be competing in synchronised events, having won a bronze medal at Rio 2016 for a strong showing with diving partner Daniel Goodfellow.
Among the other top contenders for Team GB are current British champion James Heatly and European and Commonwealth champion Grace Reid.
The squad has a mix of established and fresh talent, with 17-year-old Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix being the youngest addition, set to compete in the women's 10m platform dive.
Here's the Team GB diving squad in full:
- James Heatly - 3m
- Daniel Goodfellow - 3m, 3m Synchro
- Jack Laugher - 3m Synchro
- Matthew Dixon - 10m
- Noah Williams – 10m
- Tom Daley - 10m Synchro
- Matty Lee - 10m Synchro
- Maria Papworth Burrell - 3m
- Scarlett Mew Jensen - 3m
- Grace Reid - 3m Synchro
- Katherine Torrance - 3m Synchro
- Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix - 10m (10m Synchro reserve)
- Robyn Birch - 10m
- Lois Toulson - 10m Synchro
- Eden Cheng - 10m Synchro
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What are the types of dives at the Olympics?
The two types of dives featured at the Olympic Games are referred to as "springboard" and "platform".
Springboard events use a three-metre long flexible diving board that allows athletes to fling themselves into the air, performing acrobatic stunts on their way down to the water.
In contrast, platform dives are taken from a solid platform positioned 10 metres above the ground.
Tokyo 2020 will include the following diving events, with a grand total of 8 medals on offer:
- 3m springboard (individual, men and women)
- 10m platform (individual, men and women)
- Synchronised 3m springboard (paired, men and women)
- Synchronised 10m platform (paired, men and women)
What are the rules for Olympic diving?
The rules for Olympic diving vary depending on the event. Check out our full rundown below:
3m springboard
- Six dives for men
- Five dives for women
- No limit on difficulty of dives
- One dive from each category (forward, back, inward, reverse, twisting)
- Women may not repeat a dive
- Men may repeat one category for their sixth dive
10m platform
- Six dives for men
- Five dives for women
- No limit on difficulty of dives
- For men, one dive from each category (forward, back, inward, reverse, twisting, armstand)
- No category can be repeated for neither men nor women
Synchronised springboard and platform
- Six dives for men
- Five dives for women
- First two dives assigned difficulty rating of 2.0
- All subsequent dives have no limit on difficulty
- Dives must be completed from at least four categories, including one forward
- Forward dive cannot be taken from standing position if using springboard
- Men cannot use a category more than once
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
