DIVING AND SYNCHRO JUNIORS DEBUT IN EUROPE
Young athletes from synchronised swimming and diving are
about to make an important step in their sporting development
as teenagers from both disciplines compete at the European
Junior Championships.
The LEN Junior Championships for synchro and diving kick
off on Wednesday (25 July) in Calella (Spain) and Trieste
(Italy) respectively and will provide Britain's emerging talent
a chance to experience international competition.
Britain's top junior synchro swimmers have been on a five-week
training camp to work on their routine and prepare for what
will be expected of them in a tough European arena. The 10-strong
squad will be competing in all four events - solo, duet, team
and combination - for the first time in the competition's
history.
Jazmine Stansbury (Reading Royals) will compete in the solo
event, while Asha Randall (Rushmoor), younger sister of Commonwealth
Games silver medallist Jenna, is to team up with Helen Morris
(Reading Royals) for the duet.
National Performance Director Biz Price has been working
with the team during the recent five-week training camp and
hopes the hard work will pay off when the competition kicks
off this week.
"The girls have put a lot of work into the preparations
for this event and I hope to see an improvement on last year's
result," she said. "I am happy with their progress
so far, but the European Juniors pose their first real test
since we selected the squad.
"We have chosen a much higher calibre of routine this
year and some of it is really challenging for the girls. The
athletes have taken to the routine well are stepping up their
performances which is very encouraging.
"This meet is a great opportunity for all our girls
to experience competing at an international event and it will
be good preparation for next year's World Junior Championships.
The team has coped very well with a testing five-week training
camp and I am hopeful of a strong performance in Spain."
An eight-strong team comprising some of the country's most
promising young divers is also preparing for a challenging
European meet that will provide valuable competition experience
and give athletes the chance to impress on the international
circuit.
National Performance Director Steve Foley is attending the
meet and is hoping for some strong performances from his athletes
in the diving pit.
"We have a relatively small team this year as we are
starting to focus some of our juniors on senior events,"
said Foley. "The team has mixed experience. It's the
first European Juniors for three of our athletes while Callum
Johnstone already has Grand Prix and Commonwealth Games experience.
"The divers will be looking to put in good performances
and some will be in a position to challenge for medals. This
will be the toughest competition the team have dived at this
year and it gives them the opportunity to stand up and show
they are amongst the best in Europe.
"Russia and Ukraine are the powerhouses in Europe at
the moment but Germany are always quite formidable and Italy
will do well with a full team on home soil."
|
