World Aquatics president impressed with public's passion for diving in 'Water Cube'

BEIJING -- At the ongoing World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final at the National Aquatics Center, known as the "Water Cube" in Beijing, World Aquatics president Husain Al Musallam expressed his delight at witnessing the public's passion for diving in a Xinhua interview Saturday.

"The Super Final in Beijing is fantastic. The best world diving athletes from all participating teams had excellent performance. Congratulations on the organizers of Beijing city and China," said Al Musallam.

The 2025 Diving World Cup features three legs. Chinese divers have secured 15 gold medals across the first two events held in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Windsor, Canada. The Beijing Super Final runs through Friday to Sunday.

Al Musallam noted he didn't expect to see a full crowd in the "Water Cube," but the enthusiasm of the audience greatly impressed him. According to organizers, the Super Final's box office surpassed 5.28 million yuan ($726,000), with over 7,000 spectators attending the diving competitions Friday.

Additionally, official licensed merchandise of the Super Final has been very well received. Al Musallam selected various pins and toys Saturday. "I was so happy to see the merchandise, which the athletes from many teams talked about. It was very nice. Many products are very attractive to children," he said.

For the first time at the Beijing Super Final, elite divers experienced a new head-to-head competition format. Specifically, the top 12 athletes in individual events are paired according to their rankings, each performing three dives. The lower scorer in each pairing is eliminated. In the semifinals, the remaining six divers are divided into two groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the final.

"This format is very interesting for the viewers. We did it for looking into the modernization of the diving sport," Al Musallam explained.

Looking ahead, Beijing will host the World Aquatics Championships in 2029. Al Musallam said, "My expectation is to have a higher standard in the Championships. We are going to use new technology for sure and will amend the rules to make it very interesting for spectators."