Kash Tarasoff and Samuel McCaffrey Crowned Junior World Champions
Junior World Championships
Montreal, August 21, 2026 – Canada’s diving team got off to a flying start at the Junior World Championships in Croatia on Friday. Although Mother Nature forced the postponement of the mixed team event that was scheduled to take place at the end of the day, she was unable to hold back Kash Tarasoff and Samuel McCaffrey, who captured gold in the boys’ synchronized 3m event (ages 14-18).
Tarasoff (Saskatoon, SK) and McCaffrey (Pointe-Claire, QC) had only four opportunities to train together for the synchronized event at the world juniors. And while this was minimal preparation for such a major event, it did not deter the new junior world champions.
“I wouldn’t say we expected to win, but we did believe it was possible,” said McCaffrey, who trains with the Pointe-Claire Diving Club. “There was a moment on the podium where we looked at each other like, ‘Is this really happening?’ It was the best surprise we could have hoped for.”
The duo’s first dive put them in provisional fourth place, but they still had lots left in the tank. In the following heat, they moved into first place, and fought hard to remain there until the end of the competition.
The weather conditions at the outdoor event in Rijeka required the athletes to adapt constantly throughout the day.
“It was very windy. Also, there was a break and a delay because of the rain. Those conditions could easily have thrown us off,” explained McCaffrey.
“The fact that we trained in the rain in Montreal definitely helped,” added Tarasoff, who belongs to the Saskatoon Diving Club. “We knew we were able to dive individually in those conditions, so all we had to do was synchronize it all.”
Going into the final round, the Canadians held a slim 0.60-point lead over Ivan Sautin and Matvei Pomoshnikov of Russia.
Tarasoff and McCaffrey then added 59.16 points to their cumulative score, thanks to a two-and-a-half forward somersault with two twists in pike position. They finished the competition with an impressive total of 281.82 points.
The Russians wound up 9.36 points behind and took the silver medal, while Germany’s William Joerg David and Finn Awe earned bronze with a score of 266.43—15.39 points behind the new champions.
“Our perseverance made all the difference. We believed in ourselves and we had fun. No matter the conditions, we feel confident,” noted McCaffrey.
Maia Alexandra Jane (Vancouver, BC) and Sara-Jade Veill(Blainville, QC) were the first Canadians to compete in Croatia on Friday.
Jane finished 19th in the 1m springboard qualifiers (ages 14-15) with 257.80 points. Veill, who trains with the CAMO Club, followed immediately behind, taking the 20th spot with 248.55 points. Only the top twelve finishers advanced to the finals.
The mixed team event was scheduled to conclude the first day of the Junior World Championships in Rijeka; however, the organizers decided to postpone the competition due to thunderstorms. The new date has yet to be confirmed.
On Saturday, Lila Gokiert and Ella Lindsay will compete in the girls’ synchronized 10m finals (ages 14–18), while Arnaud Corbeil and Samuel McCaffrey take part in the boys’ individual 3m event (ages 16-18).
