This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 18th, 2013at 2:10 pm by zoe.leahy@activenation.org.uk

Young Divers Show Olympians What They Can Do

A team of young divers from Active Nation’s Southampton Diving Academy got to rub shoulders with Olympians and Senior Internationals while competing in the Luton Challenge 2013.  

Top of the medals table on the Southampton team was Angus Kerr, competing in the boys 11 and under age group where he secured a place in all three of his finals.  On the first day of competition he took part in the 5m platform and 3m springboard events and won both his preliminaries convincingly, winning his platform preliminary by a massive 41.20 points and achieving 8’s for his back dive pike.  Later that day he went on to maintain his ‘top spot’ in the finals to take gold in both events. On the last day he also won bronze on the 1m springboard.

Winning gold in the girls 16+ Years platform event Sarah White dived fantastically in the final beating some very talented divers and improving on her preliminary placing of sixth to take the gold in the final, leaving a 20 point margin between herself and silver place.

Rhys Crookes had bronze success in the boys 12/13 years 3m springboard event,  after securing a place in the final with an outstanding last dive he then went on to improve on his preliminary 5^th placing with three impressive dives in the final, winning the bronze medal with a personal best score.

Other notable achievements came in the boys 12/13 years age group, Tyler Lane and Dylan Lakeman-Brown made two finals each.  Lakeman-Brown executed an impressive inward one and half somersaults piked from the 7.5 metre platform in both the preliminaries and final, scoring 8’s and 8.5’s,  totalling 50.40 points per dive, but unfortunately slipping from his 2^nd place preliminary placing to an agonising 4^th.

Chris Farrow, head coach for the meet said : “Our divers gained lots of experience competing in this event which saw Olympians and Senior Internationals rubbing shoulders with our team. I was very impressed by their behaviour and attitude and would like to add my congratulations to all who made a top 6 finish in this tough event.”

This competition is hosted at The Inspire Sports Village, home of recent TV programme ‘Splash’ which featured Tom Daley.

Full Results:

Girls 10/11 Years 1m Springbboard: 6^th Tia Pritchard, 7^th Maddie Newcombe, 8^th Astrid Davis

Boys 10/11 Years 1m Springbaord: 3^rd Angus Kerr

Girls 12/13 Years 1m Springbboard: 14^th Jessica Bennett, 16^th Jade Brindley, 19^th Emily Adams, 22^nd Lauren Bailey, 26^th Chantelle Beckett

Boys 12/13 Years 1m Springbboard: 5^th Tyler Lane, 6^th Rhys Crookes, 9^th Dylan Lakeman-Brown, 11^th Thomas Bailey, 13^th Cameron Gammage

Girls 10/11 Years 3m Springbboard: 7^th Tia Pritchard, 8^th Maddie Newcombe, 9^th Astrid Davis

Boys 10/11 Years 3m Springbaord: 1^st Angus Kerr

Girls 12/13 Years 3m Springbboard: 19^th Jessica Bennett, 23^rd Emily Adams, 25^th Lauren Bailey, 26^th Jade Brindley, 29^th Chantelle Beckett

Boys 12/13 Years 3m Springbboard: 3^rd  Rhys Crookes, 5^th Dylan Lakeman-Brown, 7^th Tyler Lane, 8^th Cameron Gammage, 10^th Thomas Bailey

Girls 14/15 Years 1m Springbboard: 6^th Katie McArthur,  10^th Ellen Morrow

Girls 14/15 Years 3m Springbboard: 7^th Katie McArthur,  8^th Ellen Morrow

Girls 16+ 3m Springboard: 4^th Sarah White

Girls 10/11 Platform: 6^th Maddie Newcombe, 7^th Astrid Davis

Boys 10/11 Platform: 1^st Angus Kerr

Girls 12/13 Platform: 15^th Jade Brindley, 18^th Emily Adams, 19^th Lauren Bailey, 20^th Jessica Bennett

Boys 12/13 Platform: 4^th Dylan Lakeman-Brown, 6^th Tyler Lane, 10^th Rhys Crookes, 11^th Thomas Bailey, 12^th Cameron Gammage

Girls 14/15 Platform: 8^th Ellen Morrow,  9^th Katie McArthur

Girls 16+ Platform: 1^st Sarah White