U.S. Divers Kick Off 2025 World Aquatics Diving World Cup in Guadalajara
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Kyndal Knight
The 2025 World Aquatics World Cup series kicked off in Guadalajara, Mexico from April 3-6, with nine divers representing the United States.
Kyndal Knight, Luke Sitz, Sophie Verzyl and Daryn Wright all advanced to the individual finals, with Verzyl leading the way with a seventh-place finish in the women’s 3-meter contest. Knight joined Verzyl in the 3-meter final and placed 11th. Wright placed ninth in the women’s 10-meter final, and Sitz finished 10th in the men’s 3-meter contest.
Verzyl came through with a consistent effort in the final with 302.25 points, scoring no lower than 58.50 on any of her five dives. Knight finished with 274.15 points, including 58.50 points or higher on four of her five dives, but a miss on a front 3 ½ pike dropped her in the standings. China’s Chen Jia took gold with 380.55 points.
Sitz finished with 384.75 points in the men’s 3-meter final, highlighted by 79.80 points on a front 4 ½ tuck. China’s Wang Zongyuan dominated the competition with 540.15 points for gold, 82.70 points ahead of silver medalist Juan Celaya of Mexico.
Wright scored 271.80 points in the women’s 10-meter final, including 62.40 points on back 2 ½ with 1 ½ twists. Chen Yuxi of China won gold with 419.35 points. Sophie McAfee also competed on 10-meter and placed 15th with 266.95 points points in the preliminary.
Tyler Wills and Joshua Hedberg led the U.S. in synchronized competition with a fourth-place showing in the men’s synchronized 10-meter event. They scored 381.71 points, with gold going to China’s Zhu Zifeng and Cheng Zilong at 449.49.
Wills and Hedberg also competed individually on 10-meter, with Wills placing 15th with 364.55 points and Hedberg finishing 17th with 361.45 points in the preliminaries.
In other synchronized events, Knight and Anna Kwong paired up to finish seventh in women’s 3-meter synchro with 237.60 points. Sitz and Josh Sollenberger scored 341.07 points to place 11th in the men’s 3-meter synchro event.
Sitz, Verzyl, Wills and Wright combined for a sixth-place finish with 372.20 points in the mixed 3-meter and 10-meter team event.
The World Cup series continues with a stop in Windsor, Canada from April 10-13. Hedberg, Knight, Kwong and Verzyl will make the trip to Canada, where they will be joined by Lanie Gutch, Quinn Henninger, Anna Lemkin, Jack Ryan, and Carson Tyler.
