NEXT GENERATION FACE EUROPEAN DIVING TEST
Injury may have left its mark on the British team bound for
the European Junior Diving Championships but the next generation
of elite divers will go to Mallorca full of promise.
The team of 11 will be missing two key personnel next weekend
in Katie Hamilton and Tonia Couch but Junior Olympic Programme
Manager Kim White is excited about the youngsters who excelled
at the trials to make the squad.
Hamilton (Sheffield), who won a silver medal last year, has
failed to recover from knee surgery two months ago to repair
damaged cartilage.
"With another year under her belt she would have been
up there competing for medals again but she's still on the
road to recovery following the operation," said White.
"Losing Hamilton also threatens our chances in the synchro
event as she and Claire Blencowe have a good understanding.
Blencowe will now team up with McGroarty instead and they
do look good but with only a few weeks together it's going
to be difficult for them."
The team will also be missing medal prospect Couch (Plymouth)
who will be competing with the senior squad at the FINA World
Cup in China later in July.
"We may have lost two of our biggest medal chances but
I'm confident the divers representing their country will be
up their competing for honours," said White.
Six of the 11 divers will be attending their first ever European
Juniors and this will test not only the dynamics of the team
but the athletes themselves as individuals. For three of the
squad the championships in Spain will be their first ever
international.
The event will give Britain's youngsters, the future of the
sport and potential Olympians for the 2012 Games, the chance
to experience the challenges posed in an international environment.
Divers will compete in two age categories with competitions
for those aged 14 and 15, and 16 to 18.
Callum Johnstone is the form diver at the moment after some
impressive diving at both junior and senior nationals last
month. He smashed the qualifying standards on his way to posting
high totals.
He'll be in action in the 3m Individual and Synchro events
as well as off the platform.
White was pleasantly surprised by the number of divers on
the team after selectors set demanding criteria to make the
grade.
"Last year, at the same event in Russia, we witnessed
the highest standard of competition in a long time,"
explained White. "Therefore we increased the qualifying
standard as a result and I'm delighted 11 divers managed to
qualify.
"Each time we raise the bar the athletes raise their
performance. What we need to see now is this quality being
transferred to the international stage. They have the talent
but what we need to see now is the belief.
"It's not an experienced team but I expect them to step
forward and challenge for honours. For the younger ones it's
about seeing the right performance on the international stage
and standing up in that arena.
"We're expecting bigger things from the older guys to
give themselves a shout at a medal."
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