THE FUTURE'S BRIGHT FOR BRITISH DIVING
Diving National Performance Director Steve Foley has been
encouraged by Britain's performance at last weekend's FINA
Diving World Series in Sheffield where a young team collected
bronze and a run of top four finishes against a world-best
field.
The two-day event, the brainchild of world governing body
for aquatics FINA and the first leg of a three-stage series,
allowed some of the country's top young divers to test their
skills against the best in the world.
A field boasting two Olympic Champions, 12 world champions
and a host of major international medallists competed at the
inaugural event which provided Britain's divers and their
coaches with a confidence boost ahead of the Olympic qualification
event in Beijing next February.
A new British pairing of Ben Swain and Nicholas Robinson-Baker
surpassed expectations in the men's 3m Synchro event, beating
world championship medallists Germany to the bronze, while
the women's 3m Synchro pair were denied a podium spot by the
narrowest of margins - just 0.03 points.
13-year-old Thomas Daley, standing in for injured Olympic
silver medallist Pete Waterfield, produced some of the best
dives of his young career to oust the world number four after
the Platform semi-finals. The Plymouth diver went on to challenge
World Champion Gleb Galperin in the final, finishing just
five points off a bronze.
For Foley, the FINA Diving World Series provided his divers
with an important test, which has paid dividends and stands
the team in good stead just five months away from the Olympic
qualification meet.
"The team did exceptionally well," he said. "In
Sheffield we were diving against the cream of world diving
and when you dive against the best in the world, two things
can happen; you either raise to their level or fall apart.
"At the weekend, everyone rose. And the fact we got
a bronze in an event we didn't even compete in at the World
Championships, due to injury, was a bonus.
"Nick Robinson-Baker and Ben Swain are showing they
can take over from Tony Ally and Mark Shipman who were a formidable
partnership. By winning bronze at the weekend and beating
the Germans, who won bronze at the world championships, we've
got real potential to qualify for the Olympics in an event
we weren't even sure we had a chance in.
"Stacie Powell and Tonia Couch looked in with a chance
of a medal on the platform until the final dive and the women's
3m synchro pair missed bronze by just 0.03 points.
"Getting three fourth places and one third reinforces
the fact we're still Olympic medal contenders. The hardest
battle now is to qualify, then we can challenge for the medals."
Results at the World Series provide proof Britain's divers
have recovered from the disappointment of a poor World Championships
in Melbourne. Missing many of the household names synonymous
with British diving this side of the millennium, the group
of young divers showed signs they have what it takes to carry
the flag for British diving to London 2012 and beyond.
"The FINA Diving World Series gave athletes and coaches
the chance to find out how they react to a home crowd in preparation
for London, which will be huge," said Foley. "We
saw our athletes step up and dive at a higher level than ever
before, which shows they're getting over the disappointment
of Melbourne.
"The athletes' confidence was shattered after Melbourne
and there was a lot of negativity, but they've now got some
real self-belief again.
"I must credit David Sparkes and the British Swimming
board for sticking their necks out and pushing for this event.
It's provided our divers with an incredibly valuable experience
and could be that one little factor that helps diving turn
the corner."
With the top four nations already qualified for Beijing from
the World Championships, focus is now on the second and final
qualification event - the World Cup in Beijing next February.
The World Series in Sheffield was an important stage in the
British team's preparation for qualification, where up to
16 nations will compete for the final four synchro spots and
a limited number of individual places.
"This meet was great timing in terms of preparing for
the Olympics. We're only five months away from the Olympic
qualification event where it's make or break and we must be
prepared to dive better than ever," added Foley.
"Leon and Pete should be fit by February, the girls
are already on the periphery for the synchro events and the
men's 3m pairing have shown they're capable of being up there.
They'll all be targeting that top four to qualify. The individual
events will be tougher, but the athletes have learnt a lot
here. This weekend has given everyone a well-needed boost."
As focus shifts to qualification for the Olympics, Foley
has urged his coaches to concentrate in synchro events where
Britain has its strongest chances of qualification.
"We need to learn from our performances in Sheffield
and work on improving our results. The focus now is on synchro
events and training for that will also assist individual performances.
If we want to challenge for medals in Beijing that's where
we'll be able to. It's so competitive but we might be able
to sneak one or two medals."
And further ahead the future also looks bright. Foley was
particularly impressed with the progress shown by young Daley
who showed no fear against the world's best, and expects similar
results in the future from a young group of athletes on the
edge of British selection.
"Tom went head to head with numbers one, two and three
in the world and was only five points behind the world champion,
after knocking number four out in the semis," explained
Foley. "To put it into perspective, these people are
the Michael Phelps and Tiger Woods of the diving world and
for our young athletes to step up was incredible.
"And we've got another two or three Thomas Daleys in
the wings, just a year or so away from breaking onto the scene.
It's a really exciting time for British Diving.
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