Team Z divers enjoy clean sweep of podium at British Elite Junior Championships

A trio of Swim England Team Z divers celebrated a clean sweep of the medals in the Boys’ Group C Platform final at the British Elite Junior Diving Championships.

City of Sheffield’s Robbie Wood, Simeon Greig and Sebastian Willcox took gold, silver and bronze respectively at the Southend Swimming and Diving Centre.

Wood topped the rankings in the preliminary round and his consistent performances in the final ensured he triumphed by 11.30 points from Greig with a score of 285.45.

Greig got the final off to a fantastic start as he racked up the highest total for a single dive as he scored 54.00 for his forward two-and-a-half somersaults in pike position from the seven-and-a-half metre board.

However, he wasn’t able to reduce Wood’s advantage in the final two dives and totalled 274.15 to take the silver medal.

Willcox also amassed more than 50 points in round two, scoring 51.30 for his inward two-and-a-half somersaults in tuck from the seven-and-a-half metre board.

He almost wrestled the silver from Greig’s grasp but finished 0.15 points adrift and had to settle for the bronze on 274.00 points.

Suzie Collins, Swim England talent development officer for diving, said: “It has been great to see the Group C Divers in action – both the girls on 1m and the boys on platform. They really stepped up for the finals. 

For a lot of these divers, it is their first ever national event so it’s fantastic to see them not be overawed by the occasion and produce such great diving.”

Juliette Bravo

Crystal Palace Diving Club’s Juliette John was victorious in a closely-contest Girls’ Group C 1m Final.

John topped the leaderboard with a score of 290.75 but only 9.75 separated the rest of the field..

Luton’s Skye Fisher-Eames was second on 272.35, with Scarlet D’Mellow, from Edinburgh Diving Club taking the bronze with a total of 271.95.

Desharne and Amy triumph again

Desharne Bent-Ashmeil and Amy Rollinson secured yet another national title with a dominant performance in the Girls’ 14-18 3m Synchro.

London Aquatics’ Bent-Ashmeil and Luton’s Rollinson won the British National Diving Cup gold in the same event in February – their first senior title.

They continued their fine form as a duo with a comprehensive victory to win gold at the British Elite Junior Diving Championships.

Bent-Ashmeil and Rollinson scored a total of 281.70 points to top the podium.

That left them 37.62 clear of Tilly Brown and Evie Smith, from Southampton Diving Academy and Crystal Palace Diving Club respectively, who finished on 244.08 to narrowly claim the silver medal.

They were 0.42 in front of Southampton Diving Academy’s Maya Kutty and City of Leeds Diving Club’s Callie Eaglestone, who were the bronze medallist with a score of 243.66.

Chloe bounces back

Chloe Johnson bounced back from a disappointing second dive to win the Girls’ Group A Platform British title.

The City of Leeds diver opened up her final routine with a score of 61.10 for her back two-and-a-half somersaults, half twist – but then narrowly missed her entry on her armstand back double somersault in pike.

She received 46.20 points for that dive but failed to let it affect her as she produced her best dive of the final in round three.

Johnson’s reverse two-and-a-half somersaults tucked earned her 61.60 and gave her an advantage which she held to take the gold medal.

Dive London Aquatics Club’s Hannah Newbrook was the silver medallist with a score of 379.35, while City of Sheffield’s Grace Ally took bronze on 3743.40 points.

Canada’s Renee Batalla won a commemorative gold medal for her total of 390.40.

Amelie crowned champion

Plymouth Diving’s Amelie Underwood was crowned British champion in the Girls’ B 1m competition in a final dominated by guest divers.

Three commemorative medals were awarded to the top three scorers in the final – Sweden’s Signe Stahl (323.25), Coral Springs Diving’s Juliet Radich (291.70) and Team Finland’s Eerika Repo (275.85).

Underwood was fourth overall and the highest-scoring British diver in the event, finishing on 273.60 to top the podium.

Albatross Diving Club Reading’s Lauren Saunders was second with a score of 271.65, while Southend Diving’s Abby Rust claimed the bronze to the delight of the home crowd after finishing on 265.60 points.

Oliver and Bryn lead the way

Southampton Diving Academy duo Oliver Covell and Bryn James led from start to finish as they took the Boys’ 14-18 Platform Synchro gold.

They scored 255.03 for their five dives with the highlight being a total of 57.12 points for their back two-and-a-half somersaults.

Covell and James’s Southampton team-mate paired with Luton Diving Club’s Jordan Fisher-Eames and they finished with a total of 242.13 for second spot.