Five Masters Divers from Southampton Diving Academy travelled to the Dutch city of Eindhoven to take part in a European Diving Competition, coming back with a haul of ten medals between them.
Left to right: Peter Nicholson, Kim Purkis, Christine Aukett, Christine Jenkins, Tony Hunter, Lyndsay Dibden
The intrepid bunch, who train at the Quays Swimming and Diving Complex and were accompanied by coach, Chris Jenkins, made an excellent showing against divers from all over Europe.
The most successful member of the team was Christine Aukett, who has recently returned to the sport after several years break and travelling the world. Taking all three gold medals in her category she demonstrated that she has not lost the art.
Tony Hunter was on his usual good form, taking two golds and a silver medal and Kim Purkis saw off some very strong competition to take a gold and two bronze medals.
Clawing his way up the ranks of divers he had recently challenged in Slovenia, Peter Nicholson was delighted to take the bronze medal on the 1m springboard, a great confidence booster in his preparations for the World Masters Championships to be held in Australia in April. Peter will be joined at the meet by fellow team mates Lyndsay Dibden and Ian Hammond.
Coach, Chris Jenkins, was delighted with the outcome. "Our Masters team goes from strength to strength," she said. "The hard work they have put in over recent months is really paying off and they are looking very good against some of the best international teams."
Full results were as follows:
| Mens 45-49 : | |
| Tony Hunter: | 1m Gold, 3m Silver, Platform Gold |
| Lyndsay Dibden: | 1m 6th, 3m 6th, Platform 4th |
| Mens 40-44 | |
| Peter Nicholson: | 1m Bronze, 3m 5th, Platform 5th |
| Womens 16-24 | |
| Kim Purkiss: | 1m Bronze, 3m Bronze, Platform Gold |
| Womens Novice 16-24 | |
| Christine Aukett: | 1m Gold, 3m Gold, Platform Gold |