Spotlight shifts to high divers
Source: Agencies |
July 27, 2013, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IF Superman is known for leaping tall buildings in a single bound then the high divers who are about to debut their sport at the Swimming World Championships must also qualify for superhero status.
Rather than leaping buildings, they will be diving from them, or the equivalent at least.
High diving will make its debut next week in Barcelona with 14 brave men and five fearless women jumping from 27 and 20-meter platforms, respectively, into Barcelona's harbor. That's the equivalent of a nine-story building for the men and seven stories for the women. Speeds will approach 160 kilometers per hour.
"That really is a lot of guts and courage, and a dash of insanity," USA Diving high performance director Steve Foley said. "It's going to be fantastic."
The risk of injury is high. But if something does go wrong, organizers will be ready.
Scuba divers and free divers will be waiting down below, and they will enter the water simultaneously with the athlete to make sure he or she gets back up to the surface.
American Steven LoBue, one of the favorites in the men's event, said: "A few of the divers have been knocked unconscious because they under-rotated just enough to take a shot on the chin."
Rather than leaping buildings, they will be diving from them, or the equivalent at least.
High diving will make its debut next week in Barcelona with 14 brave men and five fearless women jumping from 27 and 20-meter platforms, respectively, into Barcelona's harbor. That's the equivalent of a nine-story building for the men and seven stories for the women. Speeds will approach 160 kilometers per hour.
"That really is a lot of guts and courage, and a dash of insanity," USA Diving high performance director Steve Foley said. "It's going to be fantastic."
The risk of injury is high. But if something does go wrong, organizers will be ready.
Scuba divers and free divers will be waiting down below, and they will enter the water simultaneously with the athlete to make sure he or she gets back up to the surface.
American Steven LoBue, one of the favorites in the men's event, said: "A few of the divers have been knocked unconscious because they under-rotated just enough to take a shot on the chin."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
