Earlier this year, Jules Bouyer won Silver in front of a home crowd at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in the Men’s 3m Springboard event, also competing in the Men’s 1m Springboard, and alongside his French diving partner Alexis Jandard, he competed in the Men’s Synchronised 3m Springboard event. In May, Jules competed at the World Aquatics World Cup Super Final in Beijing, and he has competed at every World Aquatics Championships since 2022, most recently in Singapore last year, and he came away with the Bronze medal in 2023 alongside Alexis. Jules made his Olympic debut in front of a home crowd when he was selected for the French diving team at the Olympic Games in 2024, with the competition held at the Paris Aquatic Centre, where he competed individually and in the synchronised 3m with Alexis, and he qualified for the Men’s 3m Springboard final. Ahead of the Olympics, Jules became the European champion with Alexis in the Men’s Synchronised 3m Springboard in Belgrade, and later this year, he is hoping to head to the World Championships in Budapest for the first qualifying competition for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. At the age of 16, Jules represented France in 2018 at the Youth Olympic Games for the Boys’ 3m Springboard competition. Talking with Jules, he told us about winning Silver at this year’s European Aquatics Championships in the Men’s 3m Springboard, his Olympic debut in 2024 in front of a home crowd in Paris and becoming the European champion with his diving partner Alexis for Team France in Belgrade.
How did you feel winning Silver at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in Paris in August in the Men’s 3m Springboard event, and how did you stay focused during the final when you knew you were in medal contention?
I felt very proud because the European Championships were held in Paris, at the same venue where the 2024 Olympic Games took place. My main goal was to win the Gold medal, but I had a slightly difficult end to the season, and the level of competition was extremely high.
Managing the stress was quite difficult because there was a lot of noise from the crowd cheering for me. With the experience I have gained over the years, I managed to stay focused throughout the competition. I try to think only about my dives, one dive at a time.
You also competed in the Men’s 1m Springboard and the Men’s Synchronised 3m Springboard with your diving partner Alexis Jandard; how would you sum up this year’s European Championships, and what do you enjoy about competing in numerous events?
To sum up my European Championships, I would say they were pretty good, even though I was hoping for a little more. In the 1m event, winning a medal was quite difficult, and it is a height that I train less compared to the 3m, so finishing fifth is still a good performance.
In the Synchronised 3m, I was very disappointed with my performance. On my third dive, I hit the springboard, which took us out of medal contention.
I really enjoy competing in several events because it gives me more opportunities to perform well and enjoy representing my country.
Can you tell us about your time at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final, which was held in Beijing in May?
The Super Final in China was a success because it allowed me to qualify for the European Championships in Paris quite early in the season. Finishing fourth also confirmed that I was capable of competing with the best divers in the world.
Having competed at every World Aquatics Championships since 2022, most recently in Singapore in 2025, what are some of your favourite memories from the World Championships over the years, and what do you remember most from winning your World Bronze medal in 2023 alongside Alexis?
My best individual memory remains the 2024 World Championships in Doha, which allowed me to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games alongside my best friend, Gwendal Bisch.
As for the medal I won with Alexis Jandard in 2023, I felt an enormous amount of pride. It was our first World Championship medal in an event that is part of the Olympic programme, and it was also a first for France. Being able to share those emotions with someone is something truly magical.
With this year’s European Championships and the 2024 Olympic Games both being held in Paris, at the Paris Aquatic Centre, how do you find the experience competing at major competitions in front of a home crowd and how does it differ to competitions abroad?
Competing at the Olympic Games and the European Championships in front of a home crowd is something new for us as French divers. It is absolutely incredible to experience something like that at home, in front of your family, friends and supporters.
How was it hearing you’d been selected to make your Olympic debut for Team France in Paris in 2024, and how did you prepare for the Games?
I was extremely proud to represent my country at the Olympic Games. It was my biggest dream. My preparation was the same as usual, although I worked a lot on the mental side of things so that I would not arrive too stressed on competition day.
You competed individually and in the synchronised event with Alexis whilst in Paris, with the synchronised event being a straight final; what were both Olympic events like to compete in and how was it qualifying for the final in the Men’s 3m Springboard?
I really enjoyed both events, even though there was a lot of stress. In the Synchronised 3m, which was the first event, there were so many people cheering for us. It was an incredible experience. We would have liked to perform better, but the competition will remain engraved in my memory.
In the individual event, the goal was to qualify for the final, which I managed to do.
I will remember my last dive in the semi-final for the rest of my life. As I came out of the water after that dive, the whole pool exploded with cheers. I looked up at the stands and saw my family jumping for joy. It was an incredible moment.
What do you feel you learnt from your first senior Olympic Games and how was it staying in the athletes’ village as part of Team France?
I learnt that the most important thing is to enjoy diving, because that is when I perform at my best.
The Olympic village was absolutely huge, and it was great to meet other athletes who shared the same dreams.
Ahead of the Olympics, you and Alexis became European champions in the Men’s Synchronised 3m Springboard in Belgrade; how was it finishing in first place and standing on the podium to receive your Gold medal?
At the European Championships in Belgrade, I narrowly missed out on an individual medal. I was in first place throughout the competition but missed my last dive and finished fourth.
The synchronised event allowed me to move on from that disappointment and, in a way, get my revenge. In the end, Gwendal Bisch won the individual event, and Alexis and I won the synchronised event, so everyone was happy.
How was it representing France at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires at the age of 16, where you competed in the Boys’ 3m Springboard, and how was it competing at a major international multi-sport event at such a young age?
It was a fantastic competition. It was like a mini Olympic Games and allowed me to discover the Olympic world for the first time. It was an amazing experience.
How did you get into diving as a competitive sport and did you always know you wanted to dive at international competitions?
I started diving when I was six years old and took part in my first competition at the age of 10. At first, I did not really enjoy competing and I struggled to manage my stress.
Over time, I realised that I actually enjoyed competing enormously when I managed to control that stress.
Is there anything you find most rewarding about being an elite diver, and how does it feel to represent France around the world?
I love being able to really feel everything when I dive. What gives me the most sensation is performing a dive while feeling and controlling everything I am doing from beginning to end.
It is an immense source of pride to represent France in a sport that is not very well known in my country. We have an amazing crowd that pushes me to do my best every time.
Can you tell us what your typical training day usually looks like and how does it change in the lead-up to competition season?
I train twice a day. I have one session in the morning from 9:30am to 12pm, followed by another from 3pm to 5pm, and then one hour of strength and conditioning from 5pm to 6pm.
I am also studying physiotherapy alongside my diving career, so I have specific days during the week, such as Wednesdays, dedicated to studying and revising.
As competitions approach, we slightly reduce the amount of training so that we can be in the best possible shape on competition day.
Have you been given any advice over your time as a diver so far that has stuck with you?
The best advice I have been given is to enjoy practising my sport and to make time for myself outside of training in order to maintain good mental health.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I really enjoy playing video games and also playing golf.
Did you have any favourite divers or other athletes to support when you were younger, and are there any other sports you particularly enjoy watching?
My diving idol is Matthieu Rosset, a French diver who competed at three Olympic Games. When I started diving, I was always fascinated by the ease and beauty of his dives.
There are also many other sports that I enjoy, such as football, table tennis and skiing.
Do you have any competitions coming up that you can tell us about or that you are targeting?
This year, the World Championships will be held in Budapest. They will also be the first qualifying competition for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
I hope to qualify this year so that I can prepare properly for the 2028 Olympic Games.
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