Home Sports The High Dive World Record – A Bone-Breaking History Part 2

The High Dive World Record – A Bone-Breaking History Part 2

This doesn't end well

Part 2: The record that breaks everything around it

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Warning: This article details a number of unsuccessful attempts at breaking the high dive world record that result in serious injury and death. You are welcome to skip to Part 3 to see the record setting jump.

You can also go back to Part 1 in case you missed anything.

Calculus pop quiz

QUESTION: A mostly naked, 75 kilogram human male jumps from a height of 55 meters. How fast will he be traveling when he impacts the water?

ANSWER: He will impact the water at the objectively unsafe and skeleton-compromising speed of 118.8 km/h (73.8 mph).

To illustrate the damage that can be done from these heights, here are the results of an amateur diver landing awkwardly from only 10 meters. 

high dive injury
“When are we ever going to use this?” That’s a question these divers should have probably asked during math class.

1985: Randy Dickison, Hong Kong

In Ocean Park, Hong Kong, Randy Dickison attempted to break the high diving world record by diving from 174 feet 8 inches (53.24 meters).

Although the jump looked great, Dickison was unable to exit the pool after his left femur snapped into four pieces during the landing. He would spend three months in the hospital.

Some 11 years later, Dickison would tragically die during a stunt dive into a four-foot thick giant sponge in Belgium.

1987: Olivier Favre, France

Two years later, Swiss diver Olivier Farve attempted to break the record by diving from 53.9 meters (177 feet).

Unfortunately, Farve entered the water imperfectly and broke his back on entry. He had to be rescued from the water.

At nearly 54 meters, even a small mistake can spell doom.

For nearly two decades, the high dive world record would not be offically challenged again.

2001: Matti Myllymäki, Professional Clown Jumper

reconsidering life choices
The look of a man reconsidering a whole lot of life choices

On his 50th birthday, a professional clown diver (huh?) decided to put on a show by jumping from 50 meters. That is not a record setting jump, but it’s pretty close.

Upon impact he broke the majority of his ribs, had to have parts of his lungs and spleen removed and spent three months in a coma.

Moments before jumping he becomes fully aware that he has bitten off way more than he can chew, but is unable to resist the cheering of the crowd. The look on his face says it all.

If you decide to watch this video, be sure to watch it until the end. Whoever coupled the upbeat exit music with the slow-motion video of a man nearly killing himself is a sociopath and should be considered a suspect for all local missing persons cases.

2015: “I really hope we’re not witnessing… like a tragedy”

In 2015, an unknown ‘diver’ jumped from 61 meters (200 feet) to his death. Even his ‘friends’ who were filming seemed to know the outcome before it happened.

Sadly, this jump never had a chance. It illustrates why high diving should never be attempted by amateurs.

Highly necessary palette cleanser

After that much brutality, allow Miriam Hamberg to cleanse the gore from your palette with some quirky Norweigan Death Diving.

Her dives are great. She’s beautiful. She’s funny. She doesn’t even mind when she gets her boob grabbed on camera by some guy who flips her around in celebration.

Palette officially cleansed. Let’s move on.

Continue to Part 3 to see world record high dive.

Return to Part 1 for the 1983 record setting event.