Get ready for the National Age Group Champs

The Swim England Diving National Age Group Championships start on Thursday (6 July), and there is plenty to be excited about.

The Championships are the highlight of the English diving calendar, bringing together some of the top age group divers in the country. Aspiring young stars aged between nine and 18 will compete in springboard, platform and synchro events.

The event acts as a stepping stone for many athletes with their sights set on competing at the highest level. Some of the top athletes from previous years have moved into elite juniors and beyond.

In fact, last year’s double gold medallist Eden Cheng and 2015 gold medallist Louise Bradley have just won gold and bronze respectively at the European Junior Championships.

Crystal Palace dominated 2016 Championships

Last year, Crystal Palace Diving Club were the dominant force of the event. They were awarded the Dawdon Shield Team Trophy for the ninth year in a row. The trophy is awarded to the club with the best overall performance at the Championships. Crystal Palace tallied up 18 medals, eight of which were gold.

Stand out performances for Crystal Palace came from Cheng, Evie Summers and Jack Jefford who claimed two gold medals each.

Plymouth Diving were second in the medal table at last year’s competition. The club took home 11 medals, including five gold.

Connor West claimed a golden hat-trick for Plymouth after winning the Boys Group B Platform, 3m Springboard and 3m Synchro titles. He also took home silver in the 1m Springboard.

Sheffield Diving Club were third in the medal table. They finished just behind Plymouth with nine medals overall, including four gold.

Sheffield’s most decorated athlete was Frankie Curtis. He won two golds and one silver in the Boys Group C Platform, 3m Springboard and 1m Springboard events respectively.

  • Click here to view all of the reports from the 2016 Championships.
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