The first diving competition took place in Russia in 1913.
As a sport, diving is practiced in the USSR since the 1920s. The national championship is held since 1923.
In 1952, the Soviet divers made their debut at the Olympics. They reached the finals in all four types of programmes and eventually took the 4th place in the unofficial team classification. Eight years later the USSR team won the first Olympic medal. Ninel Krutova was the third in the diving women competition at the Olympic Games in Rome.
Later, Tamara Fedosova (springboard) and Natalia Kuznetsova (platform) took two silver medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
In 1972, Vladimir Vasin won gold in the springboard diving from the third approach, beating tournament favorites - the Italians Klaus Dibiasi and Franco Cagnotto and a group of strong Americans. At the next Olympics Elena Wojciechowska won gold (platform), while Vladimir Oleynik (platfom) and Alexander Kosenkov (springboard) took bronze medals. In 1980, Alexander Portnoy and Irina Kalinina became Olympic champions in springboard diving. Two years earlier, Kalinina also won the first in FINA history double gold at the world championship.
The Russian Diving Federation was founded in 1990 and includes 32 sports organisations from 15 federal regions of Russia. The federation is part of FINA and LEN and headed by Alexey Vlasenko.
In 1998 Russian divers became the first in FINA history to win 5 out of 10 gold medals at the World Championship. Irina Lashko won in the 1m springboard diving event, Yulia Pakhalina claimed the 3m springboard gold. They were also the best in synchronised diving. Dmitry Sautin also won two gold medals at the championship.
Dmitry Sautin is the famous Soviet and Russian diver. He is the only one in the history who has eight Olympic medals in diving. Two-time Olympic champion (1996, 2000), two-time Olympic silver medallist (2000, 2008), four-time Olympic bronze medalist (1992, 2000-2, 2004). Participant of five Olympic Games (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008). Many-time world and European champion, winner of the World and European Cups, Grand Prix holder, Goodwill Games champion.
Among other outstanding Russian divers are Irina Lashko, Yulia Pakhalina, Dmitry Dobroskok, Gleb Galperin, etc.