BRITISH DIVING MOURNS LOSS OF "WELL LOVED" FRIEND
The British diving community is mourning the loss of athlete
and coach Gavin Brown (22) who was tragically killed in a
car accident in Southampton on Saturday morning.
Gavin, who was widely known and loved for his outgoing and
fun loving personality as well as his overwhelming passion
for the sport, will be sadly missed by his family, friends
and everyone involved in Southampton Diving Academy, British
Diving and the international diving community as a whole.
Gavin first expressed a desire to learn to dive at the age
of five in Bradford. Explaining that he was too young to start
immediately, the coaches encouraged him to take up gymnastics
which he pursued until he returned to take up diving lessons
at the age of seven.
Andy Banks, his first club coach found Gavin to be a fast
learner, quickly out-performing most of his contemporaries.
At the age of 13 Gavin began to train in Leeds, a 10m facility,
under the guidance of Adrian Hinchliffe. Soon after this Gavin's
international career took off. He took fourth place at the
Junior European Championships in 1998 and a bronze medal at
the Junior World Championships in 1999.
Aged 14, Gavin finalled in the senior European Cup and in
2001 and was invited to take part in the Goodwill Games in
Brisbane where he competed in the 10m Synchro with Blake Aldridge
(Southampton Diving Academy).
Entering his senior career, Gavin chose to train in Sheffield
with British National Diving Coach Chen Wen while studying
at Leeds Metropolitan University. He took a year's break from
training before the lure of diving took over and he made the
decision to transfer his training and studies to Southampton
in 2005 where he joined his lifelong friend Gary Hunt.
Since joining Southampton, Gavin has been coached by both
Steve Gladding and Lindsey Fraser, who helped him to regain
his position after his break.
Gavin also began studying Criminology at Solent University
and took up a place on the Solent Talented Athlete Network
Development (STAND). He was looking forward to competing for
the first time in the World Cup High Diving contest this summer.
In Southampton his career in training divers also took off.
As a coach he proved to be charismatic and well loved by his
athletes. Taking responsibility for a group of teenagers he
was preparing them for the National Skills Finals in Plymouth
this summer.
Southampton Director of Coaching Lindsey Fraser summed up
the feelings of all those who knew him in the diving world.
"Gavin is irreplaceable. His cheeky grin and irrepressible
personality were without compare and words cannot express
how much we are all going to miss him in whatever capacity
our paths crossed."
Tributes to Gavin at Southampton Diving Academy have been
flooding in and there is a sense of disbelief as friends and
colleagues struggle to come to terms with the loss.
Yesterday divers at a national competition in Leeds pool
observed a minute's silence.
Police have launched a hunt for a hit and run driver who
fled the seen of the incident.
Gavin suffered serious head injuries and was taken to Southampton
General Hospital but later died.
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