Cole, Puckeridge join Aussies on the big stage

Australia’s top divers – including New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Milly Puckeridge (photographed) and Ellie Cole – are set to take on the world’s best at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup 2026 Super Final in Beijing this weekend.

The Super Final will feature the top 12 ranked divers from World Aquatics events, competing in the head-to-head format introduced in 2025 for individual events and straight finals for synchro events. The individual event format sees athletes drawn against each other across progressive rounds, creating high-pressure, knockout-style matchups.

Ady Hincliffe, Diving Australia Head Coach and Program Director, said the event marks a key moment in the team’s season.

“This is our benchmark event for the year and our final opportunity in 2026 to compete against all the world’s best in one place,” Hinchliffe said.

“We’ve got a strong team across all events. We’re looking for Alysha and Maddi to maintain their excellent form in the 3m synchro, and it would be great to see our womens platform team chasing the podium this week too.”

“Cass and Jonah are pairing up for just the second time, so we’re looking forward to seeing them reconnect as we continue to build our strategy for this important event.”

“We remain highly competitive across all the individual events, with proven world champions like Maddi and Cass showing we can match it with the very best on the global stage. At the same time, our synchro program is a key focus as we build toward the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

This event is an important step in that journey to LA, and the head-to-head format will really test how we perform under pressure against top opposition.”

Aussies in action:

• Cassiel Rousseau – Men’s 10m Platform, Men’s 10m Platform Synchro, Team Event
• Jonah Mercieca – Men’s 10m Platform, Men’s 10m Platform Synchro
• Maddison Keeney – Women’s 3m Springboard, Women’s 3m Springboard Synchro, Team Event
• Alysha Koloi – Women’s 3m Springboard, Women’s 3m Springboard Synchro
• Ellie Cole – Women’s 10m Platform, Women’s 10m Platform Synchro, Team Event
• Milly Puckeridge – Women’s 10m Platform Synchro

Competition Format

The two-hour Super Final format features three stages: head-to-head, semi-final, and final.

In the head-to-head stage, divers are paired based on seeding, with each athlete selecting three dives. The lower-scoring diver in each pairing is eliminated, leaving six athletes to progress.

Scores carry into the semi-final, where the remaining divers are split into two groups of three. Athletes complete their remaining dives, with the lowest scorer in each group eliminated, leaving four finalists.

All scores are reset for the final, where divers perform their full list to determine the Super Final medallists.

For the second year in a row Australia’s men will go head-to-head in the Men’s 10m Platform event, this time with Cassiel Rousseau taking on teammate Jonah Mercieca. Familiarity between the pair, who combine in the Men’s Platform Synchro event could make for a highly tactical contest, where execution and composure in the knockout format will be decisive.

In the women’s 10m platform, Ellie Cole faces a tough opening matchup against American diver Ellireese Niday. Niday’s higher seeding reflects strong recent performances on the international stage, meaning Cole will need to deliver one of her cleanest series of dives to progress.

On the 3m springboard,Maddison Keeney takes on neutral athlete Elizaveta Kuzina in what shapes as a high-quality contest. Keeney’s experience and pedigree as a world champion make her a strong contender.

Meanwhile, Alysha Koloi will go head-to-head with Switzerland’s Michelle Heimberg. Heimberg’s consistency has made her a regular threat in international competitions, while Koloi’s recent form suggests she has the scoring potential to match it with the best. This pairing is expected to be one of the tighter contests in the opening round, with little margin for error across the three selected dives.

Diving Australia