INJURY MEANS YOUNG SQUAD HEADS FOR DIVING CUP
Great Britain's diving elite will be gunning for glory at
the Champions Cup in Sweden this weekend (April 9/10).
And the door has been left open for some of Britain's younger
divers to shine in Stockholm after late withdrawals from two
of the national team's experienced campaigners.
Olympic silver medallist Peter Waterfield and three-times
Olympian Tony Ally have both been forced to pull out because
of back injuries.
Ally injured his back whilst training on the trampoline, while
Waterfield felt his back go while washing his car.
But although Waterfield and Ally will be sorely missed, team
coach Andy Banks is confident of the British team's chances
of success.
Tandi Indergaard - formerly Gerrard - is Britain's most experienced
diver included in the seven-strong squad, while Plymouth trio
Gareth Jones, Sarah Barrow and Tonia Couch will also get the
chance to shine.
Indergaard, who also starred in Greece last August, will compete
in the 3m Springboard individual competition and also the
3m Springboard synchro competition alongside Hayley Sage,
from the Beaumont Diving Institute.
Southampton diver Gary Hunt and Blake Aldridge, from Crystal
Palace, complete the line-up.
And for teenagers Couch and Barrow it is the pair's first
senior international outing, testimony for all their hard
work and success in the junior ranks.
Jones competed at the Champions Cup last season, but it is
this year that he has really shone.
The 20-year-old achieved a personal best score at the Chinese
Grand Prix in March, but has high hopes of finding further
improvement in Sweden.
A view echoed by Banks, who coaches Jones, Couch and Barrow
at the Plymouth Diving Club.
"Gareth performed really well in China, so it would be
nice if he can build on that success in Sweden," said
Banks.
"It's going to be tough for Tonia and Sarah, but they
need to become recognised by judges around the world and gain
international experience.
"The more they compete, the more I'm sure they will improve.
They've worked hard and deserve their chance.
"The Champions Cup is a tough competition, but I'm confident
all of our divers will do well."
Meanwhile, Waterfield, who stole the show at the British Championships
in Sheffield earlier this season with three golds and a silver
medal, was looking forward to getting back on the high boards,
especially having added a new dive to his difficult repertoire.
The 2002 Commonwealth Gold medallist has introduced a back,
three-and-a-half somersaults pike dive to his locker - and
he was hoping the Stockholm event would be the perfect opportunity
to showcase it.
But Waterfield, who alongside Leon Taylor won Britain's first
diving medal for 44 years in Greece last summer, is not leaving
anything to chance.
With the US and Canadian Grand Prixs just around the corner,
he is happy to take things easy and make sure his back recovers
in time for competition.
"It's just not worth the risk of competing," he
said. "I could easily damage my back some more and then
end up missing competing in American and Canada.
"I would have loved to have competed in Sweden, but it's
best I get some rest on my back.
"My physio is not too worried that I won't get better
before the US and Canadian Grand Prix, so long as I rest for
a while."
Sheffield divers Taylor, the Olympic silver medallist, and
Mark Shipman had not scheduled to dive at the Champions Cup
and will use this weekend for training. Taylor is currently
training in Texas.
Great Britain team: Tandi Indergaard (City
of Leeds DC), Blake Aldridge (Crystal Palace), Gareth Jones
(Plymouth DC), Hayley Sage (Beaumont DA), Tonia Couch (Plymouth
DC), Sarah Barrow (Plymouth DC), Gary Hunt (Southampton DA).
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