Cliff diver sees rise of PH standouts
Xantheia Pennisi didn’t get the finish she had hoped for in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in El Nido. But she left the island paradise with something far meaningful.
“There’s a diving team for the Philippines, and I saw the whole team last week. There’s probably about 15 of them, learning, which is super exciting,” she said, recalling a moment with the young Philippine diving team coached by Marie Dimanche in New Clark City before the competition began in Palawan.
The Fil-Aussie veteran, a wild card in the Philippine stop, finished seventh in a field of 12 women.
And while the outcome in her old stomping grounds wasn’t quite what she had in mind, Pennisi drew comfort from the possibility that the Philippines could soon have a hometown bet in this extreme sport that stages its contests in the world’s most stunning locations.
“Hopefully. I mean, there were a few little gems out there. Some of them are great divers, so it’s really exciting,” she said.
As cliff diving continues to grow globally, so does its case to become an Olympic sport—a long-term goal according to Red Bull sports director and cliff diving legend Orlando Duque.
In fact, two Olympians—Gary Hunt and Rhiannan Iffland—ruled the El Nido showcase, proving that even the best from traditional aquatics are drawn to the challenge and artistry of cliff diving.
There have also been several niche sports that became medal events in the recent Summer Games in Paris—among them breakdancing, sport climbing, surfing and skateboarding.
Interestingly, Red Bull is scheduled to bring back its street dance competition in Manila this April 25 at Xylo at the Palace in BGC—an event that could very well help hatch a talent the Philippine Dancesport Federation could send to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Much like street dance, cliff diving exists outside mainstream sports—but Pennisi believes it offers athletes something all its own.
“The sport is very niche—and not many people do it,” she said. “But I think it’s a great career if you don’t want to go to the Olympics, which is quite difficult to get into.”
“This is a different avenue. It’s like marathon [versus] sprinting. They are very different sports even though they have the same mechanics. I think it’s really exciting for the future generation of Filipino divers to have the opportunity to do cliff diving.”
The World Series is headed to Europe next, and Pennisi is hoping to be back to work soon.
“I’ve got to get back into the pool and start cleaning up my dives,” she said. “I worked really hard in the off-season, and unfortunately, it didn’t pay off in this competition. So I’ve just got to work a bit harder and practice more in 20 meters.”
