Australia’s next generation of diving talent is preparing to take on the world, with a team of 15 athletes heading to Croatia this week for the World Aquatics Junior Championships from 21–28 August.

The event brings together the world’s best emerging diving talent providing a critical pathway towards future senior international competition, including the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

Leading the Australian team is Queensland’s Maggie Grey, who returns to the global stage with her sights set on another strong World Junior Championships campaign.

Grey claimed gold in the Girls 14 Years event at the 2024 World Aquatics Junior Championships before making her senior Australian debut at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.

Grey, now 16, says she is heading into her second World Junior Championships without putting expectations on herself, instead focusing on enjoying the experience and delivering the best dives she can.

“I’m excited to put a Junior A list down as I have not done that yet, but I have no real expectations on myself. I am just there to have fun and put down another solid comp.”

“There is a big difference between the way the athletes train and behave in the senior competitions to junior, but I like the Junior [competition] as obviously everyone is my age and I have all my friends on the team.”

Grey will be joined in Croatia by fellow senior Australian team members Ruby Drogemuller (NSW) and Hayden Brinckley (NSW), who will be looking to build on their recent international experience, alongside a talented group of emerging athletes experiencing the World Junior Championships for the first time.

One of the youngest members of the Australian team, 13-year-old Mila Klyne (QLD), will compete at her first World Junior Championships after making her international debut for Australia at the TYR Junior American Cup in California earlier this year.

“It feels really good to make my first World Juniors and I’m really excited to meet new people. Competing at the TYR Junior American Cup has given me a lot of confidence. [Making Worlds has] been my goal and I’m really excited to go and see what I can do.”

For the athletes, the championships will provide an opportunity to test themselves against the world’s best junior divers, gain valuable international experience and continue their development towards senior competition.

Diving Australia National Program Director Adrian Hinchliffe said the team was heading to Croatia with a clear focus on making the most of the international opportunity and continuing to build valuable experience against the world’s best junior divers.

“World Junior Championships are always an exciting opportunity for our athletes. For some of this team it will be their first experience competing on a world stage, while others are returning with the experience of previous championships and senior international competition behind them,” Hinchliffe said.

“The preparation the athletes have put in over recent months has been really encouraging not only in their individual events but also with their synchro training. They are heading to Croatia knowing what they are capable of, but also with an understanding that this is another important step in their development.”

“With athletes like Maggie Grey and Ruby Drogemuller bringing senior international experience into the group, alongside younger athletes such as Mila Klyne competing at their first World Juniors, there is a great balance within this team. They can learn from each other, support each other and experience what it means to compete for Australia together.”

Hinchliffe said the focus for the athletes would be on executing the dives they have been working on and embracing the opportunity to compete against the best young divers in the world.

“Once they get to Croatia, the focus is about doing what they have done in training, trusting their preparation and enjoying the experience. World Championships can bring a different level of pressure, but that is exactly the kind of environment we want our athletes to experience as they progress through the pathway.”

“The results are obviously important, and we want to see our athletes perform at their best, but development is a big part of what these championships are about. Every international competition gives them another opportunity to learn, gain confidence and understand what it takes to perform consistently at the highest level.”

With Brisbane 2032 firmly in the sights of Australia’s emerging diving talent, Hinchliffe said the experience gained in Croatia would form an important part of the athletes’ long-term journey.

“We have a group of young athletes here who have big ambitions, and ultimately many of them want to be part of an Australian team at Brisbane 2032. They still have a lot of development ahead of them, but experiences like this are important building blocks along that journey.”

“It is a privilege to represent Australia at a World Championship, and I know the athletes are excited to get over there, put their best dives forward and make the most of the opportunity.”

Australian Team – World Aquatics Junior Championships
(A = 16–18 years | B = 14–15 years)

Women

Mariah Photi (NSW) – Girls A 1m & 3m Springboard, Team Event, Springboard Synchro
Charli Brown (QLD) – Girls A 1m & 3m Springboard, Springboard Synchro
Maggie Grey (QLD) – Girls A 10m Platform & Platform Synchro
Kayla Davies (NSW) – Girls A 10m Platform, Team Event
Ruby Drogemuller (NSW) – Girls A 10m Platform Synchro
Mila Klyne (QLD) – Girls B 1m & 3m Springboard, Synchro
Emily Collins (QLD) – Girls B 1m & 3m Springboard, B Girls Platform
Lillian Cormack (NSW) – Girls B Platform

Men

James Wood (QLD) – Boys A 1m & 3m Springboard, Synchro
Frank Burton (VIC) – Boys A 1m & 3m Springboard, Synchro
Zafar Marikar (SA) – Boys A Platform
Archie Forsyth (QLD) – Boys A Platform & Synchro
Hayden Brinckley (NSW) – Boys B Platform & Synchro
Hugo Devine (VIC) – Boys B Platform
Zachary Chan (NSW) – Boys B 1m & 3m Springboard