WATERFIELD WINS FIRST 3-METRE TITLE
Four more national diving champions were determined on the
second day of competition at the Manchester Aquatic Centre.
With springboard specialist Tony Ally taking a break from
competition, the 3m event was left wide open and Commonwealth
platform medallist Peter Waterfield stepped up to the mark
to take the gold and his first national 3m title.
The Southampton diver faced tough competition from club-mate
Blake Aldridge who showed good form with some well marked
dives, including a 74.75 in his final and most difficult dive
- a Forward 2½ Somersaults 1½ Twists.
City of Sheffield's Ben Swain was also in the running and
led after the first three dives, but couldn't stay ahead of
a confident Waterfield who scored well on three difficult
dives to boost his final score to 426.05 and take gold. Aldridge
slipped into second position with 413.05 points overall and
Swain was third with 389.25 points.
Platform specialist Waterfield was suitably pleased with
the result.
"I've not competed on the 3m board for ages, but I've
done a bit to prepare in training and I'm happy with that
performance," he said. "There were a lot of hard
dives in there, but it's a gamble you take and it paid off
today.
"I usually do the 1m to get into competition mode but
I fancied a change this time, and now I'll be able to give
it a go at the World Cup."
With synchro partner Leon Taylor still out of action, Waterfield
had to sit out the men's Platform Synchro, which gave those
divers who are usually overshadowed by the Olympic medallists
a chance to shine.
Southampton duo Blake Aldridge and Gareth Jones delivered
a series of consistent dives to take the gold with 389.61
points. A low score on their final dive meant Gary Hunt (Southampton)
and partner Callum Johnstone (City of Leeds) had to settle
for silver with 370.92 points while Sam Hydes (City of Sheffield)
and Chris Mears (Southampton) won bronze with 238.17 points.
There was another fierce battle in the women's Platform event
as 20-year-old Stacie Powell (Southampton) took on a field
of young up-and-coming divers, with the youngest - 11-year-old
Megan Sylvester of City of Sheffield - finishing just outside
qualification for the finals in seventh position.
City of Leeds' Rebecca Gallantree won silver with 294.25
points and defending champion Tonia Couch (Plymouth) took
bronze with 286.75 points. Powell won gold with 311.85 points
to improve on her third-placed finish in 2005.
"I just focussed on my own dives as well as I could
do," she explained. "I'd set targets for each dive
and achieved most of them so I'm really pleased. I just hope
I can take that performance to the World Cup in China this
summer.
"Last year was a real turning point for me in my career.
After the nationals I moved down to Southampton - I've been
there a year now and it's working really well. I'm part of
a professional training programme, training twice a day with
all the facilities I need, all within close proximity of one
another."
In the women's 3m Synchro, Commonwealth bronze medallists
Tandi Gerrard (City of Leeds) and Hayley Sage (City of Sheffield)
were clear winners with 282.75 points, boosting Gerrard's
personal gold medal tally at this meet to two.
Young duo Louise Van Hoof (Luton Kingfisher) and Jodie McGroarty
(City of Sheffield) offered a challenge, but were unable to
match the senior pair who pulled ahead on the last three dives.
Van Hoof and McGroarty won silver in 265.53 points and City
of Leeds duo Rebecca Gallantree and Emma Teather collected
gold with 250.29 points.
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