Thunder Bay diver earns one of Canada's first medals for high diving at world championships

Even after years of practice and competition, and countless trophies, Thunder Bay, Ont.-born cliff diver Molly Carlson still has to fight off the urge to simply not jump.

"I think it's so natural for everyone, even professionals, to have that instinct not to jump," Carlson said. "It's probably your fight-or-flight.

"But for me, it's standing on the edge of the cliff, trying to replace all the negative. You're ready, you're capable and you're brave."

"The more I say that to myself, the more I feel confident to jump off a cliff around the world, and it tends to be working out pretty good."

Carlson's most recent success came last month in Fukuoka, Japan, when she won a silver medal in the women's high diving finals at the World Aquatics Championships.

"That was such an exciting event, and I think for Team Canada to show up and get two medals at this crazy event, jumping off 20 metres, was insane," Carlson said. "I'm so proud of our whole team. We've been working so hard to prove to everyone that we belong up there on that podium at the world stage and we definitely came through with those goals."

Until this year, Team Canada had never won a medal at the world championships (the team actually finished the event with two podium appearances: Jessica Macaulay earned a bronze medal).

"I'm sure you've all seen 10-metre Olympic diving," said Carlson, who now lives in Montreal. "You jump off this 10-metre platform and land head first."

High diving is a bit different, she said, and not only because of the extra height: high divers jump off a platform 20 metres above the surface of the water.

"You're doing that same 10-metre Olympic takeoff, with an extra half rotation to your feet," Carlson said. "You always have to land on your