As well as being the pinnacle event on the international diving calendar for 2023, the World Aquatics Championships is a crucial stop on the journey to Paris as athletes aim to secure quota positions for their country ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games.

10 Aussie divers have made the journey to Fukuoka, with the Aussie team boasting both experienced and emerging athletes. 

In the women’s events, Olympic bronze and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Maddison Keeney will compete in her signature 3-Metre event while Nikita Hains competes in the 10-Metre Platform.

There will be little rest for Commonwealth Games gold medalist Georgia Sheehan who is set to compete in the individual 1-Metre and 3-Metre events, as well as team up with Rio 2016 Olympian and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Brittany O’Brien in the 3-Metre Springboard Synchro.

World Aquatics Championships debutants Milly Puckeridge and Lauren Flint will partner in the Women’s 10-Metre Platform Syncro. 18-year-old Puckeridge, the team’s youngest member, set to compete in the individual 10-Metre Platform.

In the men’s events, Shixin Li will be aiming to add to the three World Aquatics Championships medals that he has collected over a decade. Li won the bronze medal in the Men’s 1-Metre Springboard in 2022 and is a two-time World Champion in this event (2011 and 2013). As well as competing in his favoured 1-Metre, the 35-year old’s schedule also includes the 3-Metre Springboard and 3-Metre Synchro. His partner in this event, Tokyo Olympian Sam Fricker, will compete in the 3-Metre and 10-Metre individual events. 

In addition to teaming up with Domonic Bedggood in the 10-Metre Platform Synchro, 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Cassiel Rousseau will compete in the 10-Metre Platform. 

When he competed at the World Aquatics Championships in 2022, Rousseau finished fourth in the 10-Metre Platform and the significance of another top-12 finish is not lost on the 22-year-old.

“The significance is big,” Rousseau said. “It’s a chance to qualify Australia a spot for the Olympics in the events I’m competing in. Hopefully in the 10-Metre individual I should be able to get, but obviously anything can happen,” he said.

Before their arrival at Fukuoka, the Aussie divers started their World Aquatics Championships campaign in Nagaoka with a staging camp, which offered a chance to acclimatise to the warm Japan climate. 

“Over here in Japan it’s a lot hotter than Australia at the moment, which I think makes a difference when you’re training in the cold versus training in the heat,” Rousseau explained. “My coach Ady (Adrian Hinchliffe) prepared me in terms of making programs before World Champs. 

“I’ve been working very hard to clean up my dives and my form,” he said. 

The grandson of a French Olympic gold medalist in cycling (Melbourne, 1956), Rousseau approaches major competitions by trying to enjoy the moment.  

“I don’t come into comp having any expectations,” he said. “My only goal is to enjoy the experience. Obviously I don’t want to do horribly. My number one goal is to have fun.” 

The 2023 World Aquatics Championships diving competition gets underway on the opening day of competition, Friday 14 July, at Fukuoka Prefectural Pool.

All FInals sessions will be available to watch on 9Now, live and on demand.

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