The Mexican diver Adriana Jiménez today won the first test of the World Series Red Bull Cliff Diving 2018, held on Lake Possum Kingdom in Texas, in the United States, and thus maintains the good feelings that led to the podium in the edition previous.
“It was a very difficult test, long, with a lot of sunshine and with a high level from the teammates, I did not expect the victory, but it is a sign that we are working well,” explained Jiménez as soon as the race was over, in an interview with Efe.
The Mexican athlete won the cliff jumping test, from 21 meters high, with an exceptional final exercise that allowed her to add a total of 302.20 points, while the British Jessica Macauly was in second place with a tight score of 302 ,10 points.
In the men’s category, with jumps to 27 meters of height, the winner was the Polish Kris Kolanus, who obtained the first victory of his career with a score of 424.85; just ahead of the Czech jumper Michal Navratil (394.90 points) and the British Blake Aldridge (398.25).
The winner of the 2017 edition and maximum favorite for this year, the Mexican Jonathan Paredes, made a mistake in his final jump and could only reach the 10th place of the day with a total score of 356.05.
“Obviously it’s a result that I do not love, never in my high diving history, even as a guest, I was in the tenth position, but I’m happy in a way because I’ve realized that the work is working and there’s to continue in that line, “Paredes told Efe.
The Mexican athlete explained that during the preparation he was improving the start from the springboard to reach a higher altitude which, in addition, implies a greater speed towards the “nailing” in the water, so, in his opinion, he must “perfect” the twists in the air in upcoming events.
The jumpers reached 85 kilometers per hour during the jump, supporting up to 11 points of force G (the acceleration of one G is equivalent to the standard gravity, about 9.8 meters per second squared).
For his part, the veteran Colombian jumper Orlando Duque, 43 years old and one of the historical icons of this discipline, was in eleventh position with 338.20 points.
More than 800 boats and 1,500 people gathered at the Garganta del Infierno texana to enjoy the world series of cliff jumps that now moves to Europe, specifically to Spain and Portugal with tests in Bilbao, on June 30, and in the Azores, on July 14.
Then the tournament advances its journey through European territory with the dates of Switzerland (August 5), Denmark (August 25), Bosnia (September 8) and the grand final of September 23 at the Italian port of Polignano a Mare.
