Below, we detail the need-to-know info ahead of the second leg to the 2016 Fina Diving World Series, a key series of tune-up events in the run-in to the 2016 Rio Olympics, being held in Dubai.
What
The Dubai leg is the second stop in the four-event 2016 Fina Diving World Series. The World Series has the last three years featured six events on its calendar, but with this being an Olympic year (and with the biennial Diving World Cup being held in Rio last month), there are only two more following the UAE leg, in Windsor, Canada and Kazan, Russia.
The World Series features Olympic-standard competition, with medals awarded in the eight Olympics disciplines – men’s and women’s 3m springboard/synchronised and 10m platform/synchronised – along with the non-Olympic 3m and 10m mix synchronised events.
Where
Dubai’s Hamdan Sports Complex aquatics centre. The Hamdan complex lies on Emirates Road not far from the Plantation Equestrian and Polo Club. Coming from Abu Dhabi, spectators can take Sheikh Zayed Road to Jebel Ali and exit to D57, finding Emirates Road from there. It can be reached in the opposite direction by turning off E66 before the Dubai Outlet Mall. Emirates Road generally runs parallel to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in Dubai. For a map, see the bottom of this page.
When
Thursday to Saturday, March 17-19. Days are split into two sessions, the first from 10am-noon, second 5-8pm. A detailed schedule, including specific event times, can be found on the Fina website.
Tickets
Tickets are available at the door on a per-day basis for Dh50. Children under 12 are admitted free.
Also see: 'Excited' Tom Daley and Si Yajie ready to hit Olympics form at Dubai Diving World Series Leg
Who
Some of the world's top individual divers are among the listed Dubai entrants. They include:
Men’s 10m
David Boudia, United States – Gold-medal winner at 2012 London Olympics, silver 2015 World Aquatics Championships, silver 2015 Diving World Series Beijing leg
Tom Daley, Great Britain – Bronze-medal winner at 2012 London Olympics, bronze 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 1 gold/1 silver/2 bronze in 2015 Diving World Series
Victor Minibaev, Russia – Bronze-medal winner at 2016 Diving World Series Beijing leg, 4th 2012 London Olympics, 6th 2015 World Aquatics Championships
Ivan Garcia, Mexico – 4th at 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 7th 2012 London Olympics, silver 2015 Diving World Series Merida leg, 9th 2016 Diving World Cup
Benjamin Auffret, France – 5th at 2015 World Aquatics Championships
Nikita Shleikher, Russia – 6th at 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 10th 2016 Diving World Cup
Domonic Bedggood, Australia – 8th at 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 8th 2016 Diving World Cup
Maxim Bouchard, Canada – 7th at 2016 Diving World Cup
Women’s 10m
Si Yajie, China – Gold-medal winner at 2016 Diving World Series Beijing leg, 4th 2015 World Aquatics Championships, silver 2016 Diving World Cup, 1 gold/1 silver in 2015 Diving World Series
Pandelela Rinong, Malaysia – Bronze-medal winner at 2012 London Olympics, bronze 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 4th 2016 Diving World Cup, bronze 2015 Diving World Series Windsor leg
Melissa Wu, Australia – Bronze-medal winner at 2016 Diving World Cup, 5th 2015 World Aquatics Championships
Amy Cozad, United States – 6th at 2015 World Aquatics Championships
Meaghan Benfeito, Canada – 7th at 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 1 gold/1 bronze in 2015 Diving World Series
Tonia Couch, Great Britain – 8th at 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 4 bronze in 2015 Diving World Series
Laura Marino, France – 9th at 2015 World Aquatics Championships
Men’s 3m
Ilia Zakharov, Russia – Gold-medal winner at 2012 London Olympics, silver 2015 World Aquatics Championships, silver 2015 Diving World Series Kazan leg
He Chao, China – Gold-medal winner at 2015 World Aquatics championships, silver 2016 Diving World Series Beijing leg, 6th 2016 Diving World Cup, 1 silver/1 bronze in 2015 Diving World Series
Jack Laugher, Great Britain – Bronze-medal winner at 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 3 gold in 2015 Diving World Series
Rommel Pacheco, Mexico – Gold-medal winner at 2016 Diving World Cup, 6th 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 1 gold/1 bronze in 2015 Diving World Series
Cao Yuan, China – Gold-medal winner at 2016 Diving World Series Beijing leg, 4th 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 1 silver/2 bronze in 2015 Diving World Series
Evgenii Kuznetsov, Russia – Bronze-medal winner at 2016 Diving World Series Beijing leg, 5th 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 7th 2016 Diving World Cup, gold 2015 Diving World Series London leg
Philippe Gagne, Canada – 9th at 2016 Diving World Cup
Women’s 3m
He Zi, China – Silver-medal winner at 2012 London Olympics, silver 2015 World Aquatics Championships, silver 2016 Diving World Cup, silver 2016 Diving World Series Beijing leg, 2 gold/2 silver in 2015 Diving World Series
Shi Tingmao, China – Gold-medal winner at 2015 World Aquatics Championships, gold 2016 Diving World Cup, gold 2016 Diving World Series Beijing leg, 4 gold in 2015 Diving World Series
Tania Cagnotto, Italy – Bronze-medal winner at 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 6th 2016 Diving World Cup
Jennifer Abel, Canada – Bronze-medal winner at 2016 Diving World Cup, 6th 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 1 silver/2 bronze in 2015 Diving World Series
Pamela Ware, Canada – Bronze-medal winner at 2016 Diving World Series Beijing leg, 5th 2015 World Aquatics Championships, 2 bronze in 2015 Diving World Series
Maddison Keeney, Australia – 4th at 2016 Diving World Cup
Esther Qin, Australia – 4th at 2015 World Aquatics Championships
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