Molly
Carlson
Canada
·
Cliff Diving
Date of birth | September 23, 1998 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Fort Frances, Ontario |
Age | 27 |
Nationality | Canada |
Career start | 2021 |
Disciplines | Cliff Diving |
Ever since her unforgettable debut at Saint-Raphaël on the French Riviera, where three stunning dives launched her into a surprise second-place finish, Molly Carlson has been a perennial threat to nine-time champion Rhiannan Iffland.
Following her rookie season, in which she made it onto three podiums and bagged silver at the World Aquatics High Diving qualifier, the bubbly Canadian earned a permanent ticket and hasn’t looked back since.
Emerging as one of the world's best
In her first appearance as a permanent diver, the Montreal-based athlete added her name to the list of World Series competition winners with an impressive victory at the 2022 season opener in Boston, before six more second places secured her a runner-up spot behind Iffland.
The next two seasons followed a similar pattern, as Carlson missed the podium just once in 13 competitions and picked up three more victories – including an emotional win on home soil in Montreal in 2024 – and she is still the only diver to take victory from Iffland in the past 35 stops.
At the start of the 2025 season, Carlson suffered a frightening slip from the platform in Polignano a Mare, which in turn ended her chances of pushing once again for the King Kahekili Trophy. However, she didn't let the setback dent her confidence and she returned at the final event of the season, where she secured a second place finsih.
A social media sensation
As well as being one of the best cliff divers on the planet, Carlson is also creating a huge social impact as a world-renowned content creator. Taking inspiration from her own mantra of self-love, body positivity and overcoming fears, she founded the #BraveGang movement – a seven-million-strong community which empowers and encourages people to share stories of bravery and uplift one another. She fulfilled a dream when she was invited to the 2024 Paris Games as a creator.
Named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 sports list in 2026, Carlson is proof that you can chase medals and meaning at the same time, and she’ll be doing both this season.
In 2026, this motivational athlete will once again aim to empower herself from the 21m platform as she goes in search of her first King Kahekili Trophy.
Career Highlights
2025
- 2nd Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Boston, USA
- 3rd Place: World Aquatics High Diving World Cup - Porto Flavia
2024
- 2nd Place Overall: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
- 1st Place: World Aquatics World Cup Bahrain
- 1st Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Athens, Greece
- 1st Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Montreal, Canada
- 2nd Place: World Aquatics Championships Doha
2023
- 2nd Place Overall: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
- 1st Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
- 1st Place: World Aquatics World Cup - Fort Lauderdale, USA
- 2nd Place: World Aquatics Championships Fukuoka
2022
- 2nd Place Overall: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
- 1st Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Boston, USA
2021
- 3rd Place Overall: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
- 2nd Place: World Aquatics High Diving Qualifier - Abu Dhabi, UAE
- 2nd Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Saint-Raphaël, France
- 2nd Place: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - Polignano a Mare, Italy
Athlete Partners
