Berlin, Germany – July 20, 2025
After an encouraging start to their World University Games campaign – which included a composed performance from Grace Brammer and Kerry-leigh Morrison in the Women’s Synchronised 3m Springboard Final on Day 2 – South Africa’s divers returned to action on Day 4 for the individual Women’s 3m Springboard preliminary round.
The field featured 25 athletes from across the world, with only the top-12 finishers earning places in the final. With three South Africans on the start list – Bailey Heydra, Grace Brammer and Kerry-leigh Morrison – hopes were high of at least one SA athlete progressing to the medal round.
Heydra Qualifies for the Final
Bailey Heydra delivered the standout South African performance of the day, putting together a composed five-dive programme to finish 13th overall with a total score of 230.30, booking her a place as a reserve for the final. Heydra opened strongly with an Inward 2½ Somersault (Tuck) that scored 56.70, ranking her in 6th position after the first round. Though she gradually slipped down the standings as the competition intensified, solid scores on her Reverse and Forward twisting dives ensured she stayed in contention throughout.
By the end of the fifth round, Heydra secured the final reserve place, just 101.70 points behind China’s QU Zhixin, who topped the standings (332.00).
Brammer Progresses Through the Rounds, Morrison with some solid dives
Grace Brammer, who had impressed in the synchronised event earlier in the Games, opened her individual campaign slowly, placing 22nd after the first round. A strong 4th-round Reverse 2½ Somersault (Tuck) – scoring 50.40 – saw her climb up to 17th, but it wasn’t enough to bridge the gap, and she eventually finished 16th with a total of 212.05.
Kerry-leigh Morrison endured a challenging outing. After a steady opening two dives – highlighted by a 44.40 on her Forward 2½ Somersault (Pike) – a series of low-scoring dives in the later rounds saw her fall down the leaderboard. She ended the day in 24th place on 151.80, but with some solid round performances to build further from.
Final Results – South African Placings
Athlete | Total Points | Position |
Bailey Heydra | 230.30 | 13th |
Grace Brammer | 212.05 | 16th |
Kerry-leigh Morrison | 151.80 | 24th |
Looking Ahead
With Heydra successfully qualifying for the final, South Africa will be represented in the medal round and can look forward to an exciting conclusion to the 3m Springboard event. Her composed preliminary performance has provided a confidence boost for Team SA’s diving squad, and her place in the final is a well-deserved reward for her consistency throughout the competition.
Meanwhile, Brammer and Morrison will refocus their efforts on the Women’s 1m Springboard, where they’ll be aiming to build on their earlier performances and finish their individual campaigns strongly.
Stay tuned as we continue to follow Team South Africa’s journey across all disciplines at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 World University Games.
For More South African Sports News: Sport South Africa Home Page
For More South African World University Games News:
Day 3 Recap – Rhine-Ruhr 2025 World University Games (3×3 Basketball)
Day 3 Recap – First Medals and Another FISU Record for Team SA in the Pool
Day 3 Recap – Strong Opposition Tests SA Tennis Squad in Singles and Doubles Action
