BRITISH DIVERS AIM FOR WORLDS QUALIFICATION
This year's Senior Diving Championship get underway on Friday
in Southampton with Britain's divers looking to shine ahead
of next month's 11th FINA World Championship in Canada.
Not only do this year's championships at the Quays represent
plenty of exciting match-ups for Britain's elite against their
fellow countrymen and women, but there is also the added test
of trying to meet the tough World Championship qualification
standards set for achieving a place in the national team to
compete in Montreal between July 17-24.
And if that wasn't enough to contend with, National Performance
Director Steve Foley has invited six of the best Chinese divers
in the world to compete in Southampton - added spice for this
weekend's trials, which start tomorrow and run until Sunday
(17-19).
Olympic double medallist Tian Liang heads the field of Chinese
divers, a real medal-contender in the ten-metre platform individual
and synchro competitions, while other top male Chinese divers
gunning for honours are Feng Qin, Yan Hui, Zhang Sen and Qui
Kai.
Meanwhile, Chen Wen is set to provide tough competition despite
being the only Chinese representative in the women's section.
Wen is a world-class performer and Foley, like in the men's
section, is hoping Britain's divers "raise the bar"
at such a crucial time in the season.
"Having the Chinese divers here only makes the competition
more interesting. There's more pressure on our divers to perform,"
said Foley, who is relishing this year's three-day competition.
"I'm hoping our divers raise their performances and learn
from the Chinese. It's not going to be easy to meet the World
Championship qualifying standard, but I know the divers have
been looking forward to and building up towards this competition."
Indeed, and none more so than Olympic silver medallists Peter
Waterfield and Leon Taylor.
Britain's dynamic duo are both looking forward to competing
against Liang in the ten-metre platform competition, especially
because the Chinese diver and his partner pipped the pair
to gold in Athens last summer.
Taylor and Waterfield dived together for the first time in
nearly ten months at the Rome Grand Prix in Italy, a fortnight
ago, winning bronze even though they have lacked significant
practice.
However, Taylor is keen to play down that meeting Liang again
is a revenge mission for either himself or Waterfield.
"Liang is a great diver. Me and Peter both want to dive
well, but it's not about getting revenge for the Olympics,"
revealed Taylor.
"He's been around for a while and we know how hard it
will be to beat him, but it's just what we need with the World
Championship coming up.
"I'm sure myself, Peter and the rest of the British divers
will all raise their level of performance because they want
to compete in Montreal next month."
This year's competition also presents a difficult test for
fellow Olympians Tony Ally and Mark Shipman.
Injury has plagued three-times Olympian Ally this season,
resulting in the powerhouse missing out on every competition
since Athens, while fellow Sheffield diver Shipman also lacks
competition having been away travelling on his honeymoon in
South Africa.
Blake Aldridge, a bronze medallist in Rome, will be looking
to build on his long-awaited success trying to earn a place
in the British team, while Olympian Tandi Indergaard has high
hopes of medalling in her favourite three-metre springboard
individual and synchro competitions.
"There's some very interesting match-ups this year,"
added Foley. "I'm looking for all our divers to perform,
especially our younger divers that have been doing so well
this year.
"Tony and Mark are very experienced, but they sill have
something to prove because they've not dived for so long.
"Tandi is still trying to adjust to diving with a new
partner since Jane Smith retired, so there's pressure on her
to perform as well."
Proceedings get underway on Friday with the men's and women's
one-metre springboard final, while the men's platform competition
is a mouth-watering prospect as the highlight of Saturday's
programme.
This year's competition culminates on Sunday with women's
platform final and men's three-metre final.
The ASA National Diving Championships take place at
the Quays Leisure Centre, Southampton from 17-19 June 2005.
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