Robinson-Baker and Mears dominate synchro
28 January 2011
Commonwealth Games finalists Nicholas Robinson-Baker and Chris Mears succeeded in winning their first British Gas National Cup title in the men’s 3m Synchro on the first day of competition in Southend.
There were a number of promising performances throughout the day but Robinson-Baker (City of Sheffield) and Mears (Southampton Diving) dominated their final and looked in a strong position from their first dive.
The penultimate round saw the pair execute the Inward 3 ½ Somersaults tucked which scored them a total of 73.44 to extend their lead over the field.
Robinson-Baker and Mears won the gold with a total of 382.62. New City of Leeds pair, Callum Johnstone and Matthew Roberts took silver in 337.08 and bronze was won by Yona Knight-Wisdom and Josh Dowd (City of Leeds) with a score of 321.09.
Double World Junior Champion Jack Laugher (Harrogate Diving) enjoyed a winning start to his season after taking gold in the men’s 1m Springboard final.
At the half way point of the competition Tom Owens (City of Sheffield) was in the lead after impressing the crowd and the judges with a couple of excellently executed dives.
But Laugher had the crowd cheering with his Reverse 1 ½ Somersaults 1 ½ Twists in free position and saw 8.5s appear on the screen as he moved into the lead.
The double European Junior Champion Laugher finished the competition in first place with a score of 380.15. Harrogate diver Oliver Dingley won his first silver medal with a score of 370.30 and after missing his Front 2 ½ Somersaults 1 Twist tucked Owens won bronze with 369.80 points.
City of Leeds secured an impressive hat trick by taking all of the podium places in the women’s 1m Springboard and it was Hannah Starling that led the way with her first National title.
Alicia Blagg was in the lead after the second round of dives but 14-year old Starling kept her focus and secured some strong scores to move into the lead.
Starling won her gold with a score of 246.65 and Blagg took the second spot on the podium with 242.80 points. Chloe Hurd secured bronze after finishing with 236.50 points.
With a number of withdrawals from the women’s 10m Synchro there was just one pair left in the final and European bronze medallist Megan Sylvester and Monique Gladding (City of Sheffield) finished with a score of 292.14.
