Canadian diver Wiens withdraws from World Aquatics Championships due to injury

Canadian diver Rylan Wiens is withdrawing from the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, after suffering a recent back injury.

The 21-year-old from Pike Lake, Sask., is the national record-holder on 10-metre platform and has formed a historic partnership with national team member Nathan Zsombor-Murray.

Details around the extent of the injury Wiens suffered are limited right now but Diving Canada confirmed late-Thursday in Japan he will not be competing.

Wiens had a breakout performance at the 2021 World Cup in Tokyo where he won individual bronze in the 10m platform. He made his Olympic debut in Tokyo finishing 18th.

The synchro duo of Wiens and Zsombor-Murray captured bronze in the 10m synchro event at worlds last summer, becoming the first Canadian men's team to reach the podium in the platform event.

"We just clicked immediately. Last year was our first full year. Budapest was our second event ever and we won bronze. And then we won silver at the Commonwealth Games," Wiens told CBC Sports in June.

Wiens did not compete at nationals due to a nagging neck injury. He told CBC Sports that he believed he would be recovered by the time worlds began. However, this back injury will force him out of the competition.

Sources with knowledge of the situation say the team doesn't want to risk anything for upcoming international events and the big picture being the Paris Olympics one year from now.

These worlds are the first opportunity for athletes to qualify quota places for Canada at the Paris 2024 Olympics next summer. Athletes who place in the top-12 in the individual events and top-three in the synchro events at worlds will lock up spots for their country at the Games.

The diving competition begins Friday, July 14 and runs through to July 22. Canada has seven athletes competing.