Rhiannan Iffland

In 2016, Rhiannan Iffland exploded onto the scene with a sensational wildcard victory at her very first Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competition in Texas. Since then, Australia's 'dominator from down under' has gone from strength to strength, racking up an unparalleled list of achievements in just a few short years. With four World Series titles, 19 wins in 25 stops, two FINA High Diving gold medals and the first ever 'perfect' season, Iffland is the most decorated female athlete in the history of cliff diving. An avid trampolinist from a young age, the Newcastle native began diving at the age of nine and admits to being 'petrified' the first time she clambered up onto a platform. Soon enough though, she was competing regularly from 3m and 10m, before utilising her acrobatic skills to entertain crowds on cruise ships in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. It was during this time that she was first introduced to high diving. "With my background in trampolining and diving, along with a desire just to really push myself, I decided that high diving was where I wanted to take the leap," Iffland revealed in a recent interview. "I spent 18 months learning the skills needed for high diving from 10m, then gradually moved up the heights, eventually arriving at cliff diving." After that stunning debut in Possum Kingdom Lake, Iffland won four of the next six events, wrapping up her first title under the lights in Dubai. Four more successive King Kahekili trophies have followed for the 29-year-old, who names fellow Australian athletes Loudy Tourky and Layne Beachley as her inspirations growing up. In 2019, Iffland enjoyed the type of year most athletes can only dream of, becoming the first person ever to win all seven Red Bull Cliff Diving stops. Not only that, she also picked up gold medals at the FINA High Diving World Championships and FINA High Diving World Cup to complete a historic perfect season. "I'm still pinching myself really," Iffland said following her history-making win in the season finale. "This year was amazing for me and I just want to keep this confidence going. I want to continue enjoying the sport as much as I have this season." At the opening stop of the 2021 season in Saint-Raphaël, France, the winning streak continued with yet another exceptional display of diving. After that she stormed to her fifth Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series title thanks another peerless run of wins. The seemingly unstoppable Iffland, whose other passions include skiing, rock climbing, bouldering and surfing, is clearly aiming to ride this wave of success for many more years to come.