Biggs secures huge gold in Group A 1m

Henry Biggs landed his first individual national title with the last dive of a dramatic Group A 1m Springboard event on day two of the 2015 ASA National Age Group Diving Championships in Sheffield.

The Luton diver, competing in the top age group for the first time, was lying a narrow second to Plymouth’s defending champion Alex Kostov with just 3.75 points between the pair going into the eighth and final round of dives.

I just tried to relax and go for it on that last dive – I just had to keep calm and power through it.

Kostov was chasing a clean sweep of the springboard titles, having won 3m and 3m Synchro on the opening day in Sheffield.

The Plymouth diver scored 39.00 for his final effort, leaving Biggs – a silver medallist behind Kostov in the 3m – needing more than 42.75 to sweep in and clinch a last gasp gold.

And the 15-year old duly obliged, scoring 49.2 for his inward 1 ½ somersaults piked to finish on 316.70. Kostov settled for silver on 310.25 while Plymouth’s Owen Weymouth also broke 300 to seal bronze on 301.65.

“I haven’t won a gold at this competition for three years,” said Biggs. “I’ve always had silver so it’s good to finish on top.

“I just tried to relax and go for it on that last dive. I was already getting quite excited throughout the competition but I just had to keep calm and power through it.”

Max Lano denies Pashley in springboard thriller

There was also a thrilling finale to the Boys Group C 3m Springboard as Southend’s Max Lano denied City of Sheffield’s Joseph Pashley in the last round of dives.

Pashley set a target to beat of 209.25 but Lano snuck ahead with 31.05 for his last effort, finishing just 0.1 points clear to take gold on 209.35

Dacorum Dive Club’s Harrison Mills claimed bronze on 203.80.

Crystal Palace complete clean sweep of day one girls’ titles

Crystal Palace completed a clean sweep of the girls National Age Group golds on day two. Eden Cheng and Callie Eaglestone won the Group C Platform and Group D/E2 1m Springboard respectively to add to Lexie Howard’s gold in this morning’s Group A 1m.

Cheng was the only diver to break 200 points in her competition, winning on 213.60 ahead of Southampton Diving Academy’s Evelyna Johnson (189.40) and Shamrock Diving’s Emma Williams (186.85).

And the 12-year old admitted winning gold was more than she had hoped for at her maiden ASA National Age Group Diving Championships.

“That was really good,” said Cheng. “I was very nervous but I really enjoyed it.

“I tried to relax and feel like I was practising and not in a competition but I was only really aiming to get over 100.”

Eaglestone was locked in a battle for gold with Star Diving’s Tilly Brown before eventually prevailing on 183.20 to upgrade from her bronze 12 months ago.

Brown secured silver on 174.00 while Southend Diving’s Jessie Millham won bronze on 167.95.

  • Click here to view full results from the ASA National Age Group Diving Championships 2015.
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