Kaylea
Arnett
United States
·
Cliff Diving
Date of birth | 19 April 1993 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Borger, Texas |
Age | 33 |
Nationality | United States |
Career start | 2024 |
Disciplines | Cliff Diving |
After an impressive 4th place finish at the 2024 World Championships in Doha heralded a potential new challenger to the women’s elite, the Texas-born athlete announced herself on the World Series stage with two runner-up finishes at her first two stops that year; her dream debut coming on home soil in Boston.
A new challenger
It was clear that the women’s champion Rhiannan Iffland - who in recent years had only been challenged by Molly Carlson – now had a new serious contender to deal with.
Despite injury ending the 32-year-old’s chances of making a play for the title that season, Arnett's return to the 21 m platform in Montreal earned the American diver another podium finish, elevating her to an overall fifth-place finish – and scoring Arnett an invitation to permanent status for the 2025 season.
Last year, two more podiums followed, including another runner-up spot at the Philippines season opener. Despite those results being slightly offset by an underwhelming 11th place finish at the Boston finale, where she was fortunate to escape unscathed after making contact with the platform, Arnett managed to hold on for third place in the overall standings.
Fun and fresh
Having suffered mental and physical burnout during her years as a traditional diver, Arnett was initially hesitant to continue diving, fearing it could taint her love for the sport. But the lure of cliff diving was too great, and Arnett says her past experiences have made her stronger: “Now that I am a bit older and wiser, my goal is to simply enjoy each dive and embrace the experience.”
Ahead of the Boston competition last season, Arnett revealed the philosophy behind her style and success out on the platform: “I told myself if I’m going to do this sport, I’m not going to do it the way the old Kaylea would. I’m going to be a performer rather than a competitor, and that’s how I’ll keep it fun and fresh.” Watch Arnett open up about her deeply emotional past, her ethos, and what drives in her in Will They Crack Under Pressure?
As for 2026, if the vibrant and super-energetic American diver can stay fit and focused, then reigning champion Iffland will certainly have a title fight on her hands...
Career Highlights
2025
- 2025 - 3rd Place Overall: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
- 2025 - 3rd Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- 2025 - 2nd Place: World Aquatics High Diving World Cup - Porto Flavia, Italy
- 2025 - 2nd Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - El Nido, Philippines
2024
- 2024 - 3rd Place: World Aquatics World Cup - Manama, Bahrain
- 2024 - 2nd Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Polignano a Mare, Italy
- 2024 - 2nd Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Boston, USA
- 2024 - 4th Place: World Aquatics Championships - Doha, Qatar