Helena Merten

Helena Merten (born 17 March 1995^[1]) is an Australian high diver and acrobatic performer. She placed second at the 2017 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series and won a silver medal in women's 20m at the FINA High Diving World Cup 2016.

Helena Merten

Personal information
Born	(1995-03-17) March 17, 1995 (age 29)
Sport
Country	Australia
Sport	High diving

Early life and education

Merten is originally from the Gold Coast, Australia. From the age of 5, Merten trained in various acrobatic sports including gymnastics, tumbling, diving, and circus.^[2] She attended A.B. Paterson College.^[3]

Career

At age 17, Merten moved abroad to join the cast of The House of Dancing Water, a water-based acrobatic show in Macau.^[2] She performed with the show for two years and began cliff diving in 2015.^[4]

When Merten joined the 2016 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series as a season regular, she became the youngest diver to compete in the series' permanent line up at age 21.^[2] After the first five dives of the seven-dive season, she was ranked fourth overall.^[5] After placing second in the final stop of the season, Merten placed fourth in the series.^[6] She placed second in women's 20m at the FINA High Diving World Cup 2016, with 229.60 points, behind Lysanne Richard's 253.80 points.^[7][8]

Merten placed second overall in the 2017 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, behind fellow Australian Rhiannan Iffland, and had four podium finishes that season.^[9] She placed seventh in women's high diving at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships^[10] and eight at the 2017 FINA High Diving World Cup.^[11] Since 2017, Merten has been playing the Running Woman in the touring production of Cirque du Soleil's Luzia.^[12] The role involves hoop diving and a Chinese pole.^[13]

References

1. "Helena MERTEN Profile". World Aquatics. Retrieved 2024-03-11.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
2. McMahon, Alle (2016-10-13). "Australian diver Helena Merten making a splash at Red Bull world series". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
3. "Old Collegian Achievement - Helena Merten". A.B. Paterson College. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
4. Edmistone, Leanne (2017-11-24). "Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series: Australia's Helena Merten back on the Gold Coast". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
5. Keen, Ryan (2016-09-26). "Gold Coast cliff diver Helena Merten fourth in Red Bull World Series ahead of Dubai finale". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
6. "See the 2016 Red Bull Cliff Diving champs crowned". Red Bull. 2016-10-29. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
7. "HDWCup 2016: Lysanne Richard (CAN) gets surprising gold". World Aquatics. 2016-02-28. Retrieved 2024-03-11.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
8. Keith, Braden (2016-03-03). "Hunt, Richard Win 3rd FINA High Diving World Cup (DIVING VIDEO)". SwimSwam. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
9. Brien, Taylor (2017-10-23). "Rhiannon Iffland, Jonathan Paredes Claim Red Bull Cliff Diving Series Titles". Swimming World News. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
10. "Final results". Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
11. "IFFLAND TAKES SILVER AT HIGH DIVING WORLD CUP". Diving Australia. 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
12. Nikas-Boulos, Catherine (2023-12-06). "Cirque du Soleil brings world-renowned LUZIA show to Australia". News.com.au. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
13. Garcia, Jocelyn (2023-10-25). "Cirque du Soleil taps into the sounds and soul of Mexico". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 2024-03-11.