SafekipediaDiving at the Summer Olympics
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Diving has been a part of the Summer Olympic Games since the 1904 Games in St. Louis. At first, it was called "fancy diving" because divers performed exciting stunts like somersaults and twists during their dives. Today, diving is one of the sports in the Aquatics group, which also includes swimming, synchronised swimming, and water polo. All of these aquatic sports are overseen by the International Swimming Federation, an organization that helps make sure the games are fair and safe.
Summary
Diving became an official part of the Summer Olympic Games in 1904, during the Games held in St. Louis. Since then, it has been a regular Olympic sport. At that time, diving was called "fancy diving" because divers performed exciting acrobatic moves like flips and twists during their dives.
| Games | Year | Events | Best Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | 1904 | 2 |  United States (1) | |
| 4 | 1908 | 2 |  Germany (1) Sweden (1) | |
| 5 | 1912 | 4 | Sweden (2) | |
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | 1920 | 5 |  United States (2) | |
| 8 | 1924 | 5 | United States (3) | |
| 9 | 1928 | 4 | United States (4) | |
| 10 | 1932 | 4 | United States (5) | |
| 11 | 1936 | 4 | United States (6) | |
| 12 | ||||
| 13 | ||||
| 14 | 1948 | 4 | United States (7) | |
| 15 | 1952 | 4 | United States (8) | |
| 16 | 1956 | 4 | United States (9) | |
| 17 | 1960 | 4 |  United States (10) | |
| 18 | 1964 | 4 | United States (11) | |
| 19 | 1968 | 4 | United States (12) | |
| 20 | 1972 | 4 |  Italy (1) United States (13) | |
| 21 | 1976 | 4 | United States (14) | |
| 22 | 1980 | 4 |  Soviet Union (1) | |
| 23 | 1984 | 4 | United States (15) | |
| 24 | 1988 | 4 |  China (1) | |
| 25 | 1992 | 4 | China (2) | |
| 26 | 1996 | 4 | China (3) | |
| 27 | 2000 | 8 | China (4) | |
| 28 | 2004 | 8 | China (5) | |
| 29 | 2008 | 8 | China (6) | |
| 30 | 2012 | 8 | China (7) | |
| 31 | 2016 | 8 | China (8) | |
| 32 | 2020 | 8 | China (9) | |
| 33 | 2024 | 8 | China (10) | |
History
The first Olympic diving events took place in 1904, with men competing in platform diving and a dive to see who could go the farthest underwater. In 1908, springboard diving for men was added. Women started diving in 1912 with platform diving, and they added springboard diving in 1920.
Over time, new types of diving were added. In 1996, the events stayed the same, but in 2000, synchronized diving was introduced, adding more events. China became a top diving country starting in 1984 and has won many gold medals since then. At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Chinese divers won all the gold medals in diving events.
Medal table
See also: List of Olympic medalists in diving
Total medal count 1904–2024:
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 55 | 26 | 11 | 92 |
| 2 | United States | 49 | 47 | 46 | 142 |
| 3 | Sweden | 6 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
| 4 |  Russia | 4 | 8 | 6 | 18 |
| 5 | Soviet Union | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 |
| 6 | Italy | 3 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
| 7 |  Australia | 3 | 4 | 8 | 15 |
| 8 |  United Team of Germany | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 |  Germany | 2 | 8 | 12 | 22 |
| 10 |  Great Britain | 2 | 4 | 12 | 18 |
| 11 |  East Germany | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 12 |  Mexico | 1 | 8 | 8 | 17 |
| 13 |  Canada | 1 | 5 | 9 | 15 |
| 14 |  Czechoslovakia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 15 |  Denmark | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 16 |  Greece | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 |  Unified Team | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 18 |  Egypt | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Malaysia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
 North Korea | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 21 |  France | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Japan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 23 |  Ukraine | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 24 |  ROC (ROC) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (24 entries) | 138 | 138 | 139 | 415 | |
Events
Men's
Women's
| Event | 04 | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plunge for distance | X | Not occurred since | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plain high diving | – | – | X | X | X | Not occurred since | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 metre springboard | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| 10 metre platform | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 28 |
| Synchronized 3 metre springboard | Not yet introduced | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Synchronized 10 metre platform | Not yet introduced | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Events | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Event | 04 | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 metre springboard | Not yet introduced | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 25 | ||
| 10 metre platform | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 26 |
| Synchronized 3 metre springboard | Not yet introduced | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Synchronized 10 metre platform | Not yet introduced | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Events | – | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
Nations
The table shows how many divers each country sent to the Olympic Games. Each number tells us how many people from that country jumped into the water to perform their dives.
| Nation | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Armenia | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Australasia | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 24 | ||||||
 Austria | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 23 | |||||||
 Azerbaijan | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Bahamas | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Barbados | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Belarus | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Belgium | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Bermuda | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Bolivia | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Brazil | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 17 | |||||||||||||
 Bulgaria | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canada | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 23 | ||||||
 Chile | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| China | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 10 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||
 Chinese Taipei | 2 | 4 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Colombia | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||
 Costa Rica | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Croatia | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Cuba | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Czech Republic | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Czechoslovakia | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Denmark | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||
 Dominican Republic | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Germany | 5 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Ecuador | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Egypt | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Finland | 2 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 18 | ||||||||||||
| France | 1 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 23 | |||||||
 Georgia | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Germany | 3 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 16 | ||||||||||||||
| Great Britain | 16 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 26 | ||||
| Greece | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Guatemala | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Hong Kong | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Hungary | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||
 India | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Indonesia | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Iran | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Ireland | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Israel | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Italy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 24 | ||||||
 Jamaica | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Japan | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 21 | ||||||||
 Kazakhstan | 5 | 5 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Kuwait | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Latvia | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Malaysia | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mexico | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 23 | |||||||
 Netherlands | 4 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||
 New Zealand | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Korea | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Norway | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||
 Peru | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Philippines | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Poland | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Portugal | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Puerto Rico | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Rhodesia | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Romania | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russia | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russian Empire | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Singapore | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 South Africa | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 South Korea | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Soviet Union | 11 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Spain | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||
 Sri Lanka | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sweden | 10 | 34 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 26 | ||||
 Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||
 Syria | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Tajikistan | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Thailand | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Turkey | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ukraine | 6 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unified Team | 7 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States | 7 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 30 | |||
| United Team of Germany | 7 | 9 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Uzbekistan | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Uruguay | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Venezuela | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||
| West Germany | 8 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Yugoslavia | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Zimbabwe | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nations | 2 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 16 | 24 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 22 | 21 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 40 | 42 | 30 | 29 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 82 | |||
| Divers | 10 | 39 | 57 | 53 | 71 | 61 | 28 | 69 | 62 | 72 | 59 | 74 | 82 | 83 | 90 | 82 | 67 | 80 | 81 | 95 | 121 | 157 | 125 | 136 | 136 | 135 | 144 | ||||
| Year | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 |
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Diving at the Summer Olympics, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.