The 31-year-old came into the competition off the back of winning gold at last year’s World Championships in Kazan and produced another solid display to finish with a score of 639.30 points.

Mexico’s Jonathan Paredes, the silver medallist behind Hunt in the Russian city, again had to settle for second place with a total tally of 578.70.

Colombia's Orlando Duque, the first-ever world champion in high diving, clinched the final spot on the podium as he took home the bronze medal on 572.15 points.

The result for the 41-year-old ensured he kept up his string of top-three finishes at the World Cup having claimed victory at the inaugural competition in Kazan in 2014, before he went on to earn gold at the 2015 event in Cozumel in Mexico.

Hunt, the FINA Best Male High Diver of the Year for 2015, continued his impressive run of form, with his highlight dive of the event coming when he incorporated a back three somersaults and four twists into a 5268 combination.

"There are no limits in high diving, the harder you work, the more you realise what you are capable of," he said.

“I don't really consider myself a risk taker - it may look like we are crazy to jump from these heights but everything is calculated."

The women’s competition in Abu Dhabi, held over three rounds, proved to be a polar opposite to that of the men as Canada’s Lysanne Richard sealed a surprise triumph with a total of 253.80 points.

Previously, the Canadians best-ever finish at a FINA sanctioned event had been fifth place at the 2015 World Championships.

Her score was enough to beat Australia’s Helena Marten, second on 229.60.

The bronze medal went to Ginger Huber of the United States.

Last year's World championship gold medallist Rachelle Simpson languishing down in eighth, leaving the American 72.40 points adrift of the winning total.