Molly Carlson

About Molly Carlson

After six surgeries on her wrist, Molly Carlson decided it was better to land on her feet. That’s why the Thunder Bay raised Carlson switched from the traditional diving events to high diving last season. Now living in Montreal, she hopes to make her international and outdoor high diving debut on the Red Bull Cliff Diving circuit in 2021.

After a successful career in the pool and graduating from Florida State University in psychology, Carlson inquired in 2019 about the possibility of joining Canada’s high diving program in Montreal where a 17-metre-high platform was recently installed at the Olympic Stadium pool.

Carlson started as a gymnast then switched to diving in 2008 at age nine. She became one of Canada’s top junior divers winning two Pan Am junior titles (2013 and 2015), competed at the 2014 Youth Olympics and was a world junior finalist in 2014 and 2016. She was also one of the most accomplished female divers in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) history at Florida State University.

At FSU, she was only the second Seminole to ever win ACC Meet MVP three times.  Since platform was added to the ACC meet, Carlson is the only diver in FSU history to win a medal in all three diving events at a single ACCs. She was also the conference’s diver of the year in 2017 and 2020. In 2020 she was the ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year

After four years at FSU, she is currently completing her Masters of Arts in counselling psychology through Yorkville University in New Brunswick. She would like to provide consultation to female athletes about body positivity and eating disorders.

In grade 12, the seven-time junior national champion, went through extreme anxiety and body dysmorphia and lost interest for a period in her sport. She successfully recovered and says she feels better than ever.