This entry was posted on Monday, March 31st, 2014at 2:11 pm by zoe.leahy@activenation.org.uk

Talent And Team Spirit Helped Young Divers To Win Medals

Southampton Diving Academy won medals when they travelled to Plymouth for a 4 day diving event – The Armada Cup.

The competition featured clubs from around the UK, from as far as Scotland and Ireland plus a host of clubs from England. The divers competed in a range of competitions, including 1m and 3m springboard individual and synchro, platform (5m and 7.5m).  SDA were represented by 22 divers and secured seven medals, 3 golds, 2 silver and 2 bronze.

The most successful SDA diver of the weekend was 12 year old Emily Martin in the girls 12/13 years. Emily competed in four events, winning four top three places, ahead of girls on the England Talent Programme.  Emily came though the preliminaries in 5^th and 6^th place but then impressed with some confident diving in the finals to win Bronze in the 1m springboard event, Silver on 3m springboard and Gold in the Platform event where she finished her list of three dives with a newly perfected inward two and a half somersaults tucked from 7.5 Metres, attracting 7’s and scoring 55 points to lift herself from third place to gold by 10 points.

Angus Kerr won Gold in the boys 10/11 years 5m platform event by an amazing 13 points, impressing the judges with his inward one and a half somersaults piked to achieve scores of 7’s to maintain his top spot from the preliminaries. Angus also reached the final in the 3m springboard event, finishing in 4^th place.

Brandon Foster also found success on the Platform, competing in the boys 12/13 years. Brandon secured silver with an outstanding inward two and a half somersaults tucked from 7.5 metres to receive 7’s and even an 8 from the judges. Brandon also finished 6th in the 1m springboard final.

Brandon and Angus also partnered up to take part in the Boys 13 & Under 1m springboard Synchro event where they are currently National Age Group Champions and this was apparent when they won Gold by a staggering 23 points.  For the girls in this age group Emily Martin partnered up with Tanya Watson for the first time and also enjoyed a podium finish, winning the bronze medal in this event.

Also making individual finals were Tanya Watson on the 1m springboard, Lucy Hawkins on Platform and Max Cott on both Platform and 3m Springboard.

The attitude and team spirit of the divers was excellent throughout the weekend, allowing them to give their best during their events.