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Southampton Diving Academy once again made a dramatic impact at the top of their sport when they competed at the British Elite Junior Diving Championships in Leeds. The team of 22, who train at the Quays Swimming and Diving Complex, took a total of 27 medals between them, with 12 divers taking at least one medal. Taking the title in every individual event for his age group, Chris Mears (15) demonstrated to the crowds the reasons he is tipped for a place at the 2012 Olympics. Giving an outstanding performance throughout Chris became the youngest British diver ever to perform an inward 2 ½ somersaults piked from the 1m springboard in competition. The dive attracts a tariff of 3.4, the highest possible degree of difficulty on the 1m board. Chris made the qualifying standard on all boards to travel to the Junior European Championships in Minsk at the end of June. Team mate Chloe Pook (10) also did extremely well in an exceptionally competitive field, taking 2 golds and a silver medal in her three events. Her much improved entries from the platform were the key to her gold on highboard, demonstrating the outstanding progress she has made in that event over the last year. The only diver on the team to take four medals was twelve year old Georgie Wingrove, who notched up a silver and two bronze medals in the individual events, and with partner Ellie Fleming went on to take the silver medal in the 3m synchronized diving event. Jack Clewlow (17) and Max Brick (15) teamed up to take the silver medal in the 3m synchronized event. But in the individual highboard event they fought each other all the way in a nail biting competition for the bronze and silver medals, with the final dive being the decider. Max just pipped Jack to the post, taking the silver by 510.4 points to Jack's 509.85, costing Jack a trip to the Junior Europeans later this month. Both made the challenging qualifying standard, which is based on the top 3 European places from last year, but only the top 2 British divers will be sent to compete. Over the course of the championships Jack produced 4 personal best scores. Showing maturity beyond his nine years, Lewys Oakley produced exceptional performances on all boards at his first National Junior Elite outing. With still another year to compete in this age group he came home with 2 silvers and a bronze medal. Alastair Khakoo (10) gave an especially outstanding performance on the 3m springboard, producing the highest scoring back 2 ½ somersaults with tuck of the competition, pushing England Development diver Ross Haslam from Sheffield all the way. Other silver medals went to Emily Alderman (16) and Bethany Watts (12), both on highboard. Coach, Charly Tomkys, holder of the prestigious Sportscoach UK's Young Coach of the Year Award 2007, was coach of the meet. Her squad of nine divers took 7 bronze, 8 silver and 2 gold medals between them and all made top 6 places. Director of coaching, Lindsey Fraser, was delighted with the outcome. "Year on year the sport of diving is becoming more challenging in Britain, yet these results were some of our most outstanding to date," she enthused. "I was thrilled with these results, they were a just reward for a year of hard work and commitment on behalf of some of Britain's most talented and promising divers and coaches." Full results:
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| For further details call Lindsey Fraser on 023 8072 0922 / 07810 300355 or email lindsey.fraser@southampton.gov.uk. |