Thirteen English divers selected for 2016 Europeans

ASA Aquatics Award winner Jordan Houlden has been announced as one of 13 English divers who make up part of the 14-strong British Diving team named for the 2016 European Championships.

Houlden, who was named ASA England Programmes diver of the year in 2015, will be joining some of Britain’s top names in diving, including Tom Daley, Tonia Couch and Alicia Blagg at the London Aquatics Centre next month.

For Daley, it will be familiar turf, as the London Aquatics Centre was the scene of his Olympic bronze-medal winning performance from the 2012 Games, and is also the pool in which he trains with his coach, Jane Figueiredo.

“It is really exciting to have the European Championships in May in London in my home pool,” Daley said. “It is great to think that the London 2012 pool has such a great legacy and we can now hold Diving World Series, European Championships – all these major world events.

“The European Championships is going to be the best preparation leading into the Olympic Games. It is actually the last major competition that I will compete in before the Olympics so it is on our radar and one we are going to try and peak for and try to do the best performance we can.”

Houlden will not be the only diver making a European debut. City of Leeds springboard diver Katherine Torrance will also be heading into the competition as a first-timer at this level.

British Diving team named for the 2016 European Championships

National Performance Director Alexei Evangulov said: “We have selected a large team for the European Championships which will see a British athlete in action on almost every day of the competition in London.

“The European Championships are an important event in our calendar as it is the last time the divers will compete internationally ahead of the Olympics in Rio so it is a vital opportunity to test ourselves against our rivals from the continent.

The European Aquatics Championships are the biggest event to be held at the London Aquatics Centre since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and diving will run from May 9-15.

English divers competing at the 2016 European Championships*:

• Tom Daley – Dive London (10m, 10m Synchro, 3m Mix)
• Daniel Goodfellow – Plymouth Diving (10m Synchro)
• Jordan Houlden – City of Sheffield (1m)
• Jack Laugher – City of Leeds (3m, 3m Synchro)
• Matty Lee – City of Leeds (10m, 10m Mix)
• Chris Mears – City of Leeds (3m Synchro)
• Freddie Woodward – City of Sheffield (3m, 1m)
• Alicia Blagg – City of Leeds (3m Synchro, 3m Mix)
• Tonia Couch – Plymouth Diving (10m, 10m Synchro)
• Rebecca Gallantree – City of Leeds (3m, 3m Synchro)
• Katherine Torrance – City of Leeds (1m)
• Lois Toulson – City of Leeds (10m Synchro)
• Georgia Ward – Dive London (10m, 10 mix)

*Events are subject to change.