RIJEKA, Croatia, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 2026 World Aquatics Junior Diving Championships begin Friday in Rijeka, Croatia, with young athletes from 46 countries and regions competing for 17 gold medals over eight days.
The August 21-28 event will be held at the outdoor Kantrida Swimming Pools overlooking the Adriatic Sea and will feature springboard, platform, synchronized and mixed team events.
Under World Aquatics regulations, individual events are split into two age groups. Group A is for divers aged 16 to 18, while Group B includes athletes aged 14 to 15. All competitors at this year's championships were born between 2008 and 2012.
The United States has the largest delegation with 21 divers, followed by Canada with 18 and host Croatia with 11.
China will send a six-member team, consisting of two Group A divers and four Group B competitors. The team will compete in the women's 1-meter and 3-meter springboard, platform and synchronized platform events, along with the men's 3-meter springboard and platform competitions.
Two gold medals will be awarded on the opening day, with Chen Xiangling representing China in the girls' Group B 1-meter springboard, and China also taking part in the mixed team event.
The biennial championships have helped showcase future stars of the sport, with 17 Group B medalists from the 2024 edition in Rio de Janeiro returning in Rijeka after moving up to the Group A category. ■
