Mexican divers are once again showing their prowess by scoring high marks on the first day of the final event of the 2018 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Polignano a Mare, Italy.

Jonathan Paredes, who is reigning champion in the men’s competition, is in first place today with 165 points, five ahead of second-place Michal Navratil of the Czech Republic.

In the women’s event, Adriana Jiménez of Mexico is in second place with 144 points, 31 points behind first-place Rhiannan Iffland of Australia. Jiménez finished in third place in 2017.

Gold medals will be awarded based on points scored in all seven diving events in the men’s division, and five in the women’s.

Paredes is in third place in the overall standings, while Jiménez is in first place. The series kicked off in June in Texas.

There are 23 divers participating in this weekend’s event at Polignano a Mare, known both as the home of European cliff diving and for its unique take-off point.

Divers enter the platforms through the living room of a private home. The platforms are mounted on a rooftop terrace, 27 and 21 meters above the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy.

Red Bull describes Paredes, 29, as the most graceful athlete in the air and one of the most technically proficient divers. The 33-year-old Jiménez is a passionate dancer and also one of the world’s best cliff divers.

Mexico News Daily