Dacorum duo’s dominant display earns deserved gold medal

Katie Townsend and Maisie Kivlochan produced a dominant performance to top the podium in the Girls 14-18 Years 3m Synchro.

The Dacorum Diving Club pair led from start to finish to win the Swim England Diving National Age Group Championships title at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge.

They opened with their highest scoring dive of the competition – a back dive in pike position that earned 39.60 points – and never looked like relinquishing their grasp on the gold medal.

Townsend and Kivlochan ended on an impressive 186.57 – a huge 8.85 points clear of their nearest rivals, Southampton Diving Academy’s Felicity Cronin and Emma Bolton (177.72).

Tasty celebration

They said: “We’re very happy. We’re going to celebrate with a lot of food.

“We’re competing individually as well so we’re looking forward to that.”

Coach Chris White added: “I’m over the moon – they dived really really well.”

Olivia Wall and Chloe Hackett, of Luton Diving Club, were the bronze medallists after finishing on a total of 170.88.