Tag Archives: synchro

Tom Daley plans return to pool at World Junior Diving Championships

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Olympic medallist Daley plans return to pool at World Junior
Diving Championships

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UPDATED:

18:14 GMT, 28 September 2012

Tom Daley will return to the pool for
the first time as an Olympic medallist at next month's World Junior
Diving Championships in Australia.

The 18-year-old won an emotional
bronze medal in the 10 metre platform at the London Olympics, which he
immediately dedicated to his late father Robert who died of brain cancer
in May 2011.

Back in action: Tom Daley

Back in action: Tom Daley

Daley will return to action when he headlines a strong 12-member British team that also includes London Olympians Jack Laugher, Alicia Blagg and Hannah Starling.

Daley is set to fly out with the team on Monday before the six-day meet begins in Adelaide on October 8.

The former world champion will compete in the 10m platform, where he is likely to resume his rivalry with China's Qiu Bo who won silver behind David Boudia in London. Daley is also set to make a rare appearance on the 3m springboard where he will partner Laugher in the synchro after the pair have trained together in Plymouth during the past month.

'I'm looking forward to competing again at the World Junior Championships in Australia,' said Daley, who won platform silver behind Qiu at the World Junior Championships four years ago.

'I have been on good form this year and winning my Olympic bronze medal has definitely been my highlight. The World Juniors is always a high standard of competition though so I will be going into the event aiming to perform my six dives to the best of my ability.

'We have a great team going over to Adelaide. I am really looking forward to testing out synchro on 3m with Jack too.

'This is the first time I will be doing 3m synchro at an international but we've been training well together and I think our synchro is good. It's not my main event and but looking forward to giving it a go in a competition setting.'

Laugher was crowned junior world champion in the one and three-metre springboard in Tucson two years ago and will bid to re-establish his rising-star reputation after a horror Olympics.

The 17-year-old spectacularly failed to get past the first round in London – failing even to even complete his final dive – after establishing himself inside the world's top-10 springboarders in the past year.

Fellow Olympians Starling and Blagg will compete on the 3m springboard in both the individual and synchro competitions.

Starling, 17, narrowly failed to make the Olympic 3m final – finishing a place outside the cut off mark – while Blagg, 15, was seventh alongside Becky Gallantree in the springboard synchro.

British World Junior Diving Championships squad: Tom Daley (Plymouth Diving), Jack Laugher (City of Leeds), Daniel Goodfellow (Cambridge Diving Academy), Ross Haslam (City of Sheffield), Matty Lee (City of Leeds); Hannah Starling (City of Leeds), Grace Reid (City of Edinburgh), Alicia Blagg (City of Leeds), Megan Sylvester (City of Sheffield), Georgia Ward (Crystal Palace), Shanice Lobb (Plymouth Diving), Lydia Rosenthall (City of Leeds).

London 2012 Olympics: He Zi wins record third synchro diving title

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Diving in to the history books: Chinese synchro star Zi picks up golden hat-trick

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UPDATED:

16:22 GMT, 29 July 2012

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LIVE RESULTS |
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MEDALS TABLE

China’s Wu Minxia secured her place in Olympic history with a hat-trick of springboard synchro titles alongside He Zi at Sunday’s opening diving event at the Aquatics Centre.

Wu cemented her place as one of the greatest female divers of all time as she also drew level with former synchro partner Guo Jingjing, who she teamed up with to win the past two Olympic crowns, with a record six medals at the Games.

The 26-year-old is set to surpass that mark next week, when she and He go head-to-head in the individual springboard.

Solid gold: He Zi and Wu Minxia with their medals

Solid gold: He Zi and Wu Minxia with their medals

This afternoon they were comfortable winners, leading after all five rounds to finish with a gap of 24.30 points from nearest rivals Abigail Johnston and Kelci Bryant from the United States.

Canada’s Emilie Heymans and Jennifer Abel took bronze to ensure Heymans became the first diver to win a medal at four consecutive Olympics.

British duo Becky Gallantree and Alicia Blagg had to be content with seventh place in the eight-team final as a couple of errors cost them after being fourth after two rounds.

The plunge: Minxia (left) and He Zi (right)

The plunge: Minxia (left) and He Zi (right)

The City of Leeds pair both missed their third dive, a front two-and-a-half somersaults, before 15-year-old Olympic debutant Blagg came out too late on the final dive to leave them down the rankings.

'We were really happy with the first two dives but then I missed my last dive and my third,' said Blagg.

'It was my first Games, it was just an absolutely incredible experience. The whole crowd was incredible.

In sync: The Chinese pair in flight

In sync: The Chinese pair in flight

'Hopefully I’ve got many more Games in me to improve on this and the dives I’m not confident on.'

While small sections of the 17,500 capacity Aquatics Centre were left empty the duo still enjoyed a boisterous home support that Gallantree, competing at her second Olympics, admitted she was blown away by.

'It was absolutely incredible. The crowd out there was just mind-blowing. It was really, really fantastic,' the 27-year-old said.

'It just made us smile. We were grinning at each other.The result could have been better but there were a lot of positives in there.'

London 2012 Olympics: Tonia Couch criticises Alexei Evangulov for leaving her out of individual diving

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EXCLUSIVE: Couch angry with Evangulov after individual diving snub

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UPDATED:

21:55 GMT, 11 June 2012

Olympic diver Tonia Couch has criticised British performance director Alexei Evangulov after he overlooked her for an individual place at London.

The 23-year-old will be targeting a medal in the synchronised 10m platform after winning European gold with partner Sarah Barrow and had hoped to also be selected as one of two soloists in the class.

Couch, who trains with Tom Daley in Plymouth, doubled up in Beijing and made two finals, while at the Olympic trials in Sheffield this weekend she scored a personal best on route to finishing second to Stacie Powell. But selectors instead opted to take third-place Monique Gladding along with Powell, much to the surprise and disappointment of Couch.

Part of the team: Sarah Barrow (left) and Tonia Couch are in the diving team

Part of the team: Sarah Barrow (left) and Tonia Couch are in the diving team

'I’m just a bit gutted no one told me,’ she told Sportsmail. ‘The boss, Alexei, didn’t say anything to me. I'd liked to have known if they already had their minds made up before the trials. I was fighting and putting all my effort in to get that place and now it seems there was no point.’

Couch finished with a PB of 361.30 points, narrowly ahead of Gladding on 359.30, while Powell won with 376.05. It continued Couch’s fine form, following two fourth-place individual finishes at World Series meets in Dubai and Mexico.

'I’m having the best year of my life, no British diver has beaten my international best score, and I was really hoping to do two events at London.

'But it’s not up to me to pick the team and I wish Monique all the best. I’m really pleased to be going in the synchro and I’ll be focussing all my effort on that.’

Doing it together: Barrow (left) and Couch on their way to winning the Womens 10m Sychro final during the British Gas Diving Championships

Doing it together: Barrow (left) and Couch on their way to winning the Womens 10m Sychro final during the British Gas Diving Championships

Gladding’s place at London is remarkable, given she nearly died in February last year after fracturing her skull by hitting a platform during a dive in Russia. The 30-year-old only returned to action at the test event four months ago and then came fifth at the Europeans in May. It was a strong performance but came without competition from Couch, who was asked to concentrate on the synchro and won gold.

Andy Banks, who coaches both Couch and Daley, called his diver’s Olympic omission a ‘bit of a slap’ and said he had lodged an appeal to ‘fight her corner’.

'The performance director wants her to concentrate on synchro because they see it as a better medal chance,’ Banks told Sportsmail. ‘My view is that she can do both. It’s disappointing for her when she’s been the best performer internationally this season out of any of the girls.

Doing it on her own: Couch will not compete in an individual event

Doing it on her own: Couch will not compete in an individual event

'This is by no means a witch-hunt against the girl who was selected, because she did a fantastic job and has been a real fighter. But I still think elite sport is elite sport and the people that are the best should be the ones who represent the country.

'At the trial Tonia showed she can get a personal best in the synchro on one day and then a personal best in the individual on the next day. We’ve got a week in between the events at the Olympics.

'Tonia's been making world finals since Beijing. She's stood up to the plate on all occasions and was given a bit of a slap. That’s not right.

'One of the things I’m most aggrieved about is that Alexei didn’t speak with her. It would have made life much more pleasant had there been some notification.

Diving for glory: Barrow and Couch with Peter Waterfield and Tom Daley

Diving for glory: Barrow and Couch with Peter Waterfield and Tom Daley

'She should have been sat down with in a personal meeting and had things explained to her. I had to tell her and she burst into tears.

'Alexei’s entitled to his opinion and I respect that. I just happen to disagree with it.’

It is not the first time there has been friction between Evangulov and the Plymouth divers. In February the Russian said Daley was risking his Olympic success by having too many media commitments, going as far as comparing him to Anna Kournikova.

'She looked pretty and made a promising start to her career,' Evangulov said then. 'But the media exposure meant she never got to be the best.'

Couch's appeal will be formally put forward today and could take a few days to be resolved.

European Diving Championships: Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow on target for gold

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Couch and Barrow on target to set gold standard at Diving Championships

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UPDATED:

15:27 GMT, 17 May 2012

Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow moved a step closer to ending Great Britain's 74-year wait for a women's European Diving Championships gold medal after qualifying first for the platform synchro in Eindhoven.

The pair led throughout before finishing with a score of 310.20 and a comfortable cushion of 16.86 points ahead of defending champions Germany.

Couch and Barrow have enjoyed a breakthrough 12 months finishing fourth at last year's World Championships before taking bronze at February's World Cup.

In a spin: Couch and Barrow have made an impressive start in Eindhoven

In a spin: Couch and Barrow have made an impressive start in Eindhoven

They were also third in the final round of the World Series in Mexico last month to mark them as Europe's premier pairing.

'At that last World Series event we were the best European team, so hopefully we're the one's to beat,' Couch said.

'We've just got to go out and do our best. We're happy. We have a lot more to give so we're just going to save that for the final.

'It's was a nice steady performance from us both.'

Betty Slade was the last British female to win a European gold – in the 3metre springboard at London 1938.

While Couch and Barrow showed they were ready to replicate that feat, they remained wary of improvement from their rivals.

With all six teams from Thursday's preliminary round going through, both conceded the likes of Germany and Ukraine were likely to step up their performances.

Gold standard: The pair already have an eye on the top prize

Gold standard: The pair already have an eye on the top prize

'It's the final that means the most, everyone pretty much just runs through their dives in the prelims,' Barrow said.

'Obviously they're still trying to do their best but there's a lot more to come in the final.'

Jack Laugher and Chris Mears also progressed to tonight's finals session after contrasting displays on the 3m springboard.

Rising star Laugher had to survive a major scare, after hitting his feet on the board on his third dive, before scraping through in 10th.

The 17-year-old plummeted to 22nd, in a field of 27, after he attracted scores as low as 1.5 for his bombed backward two-and-a-half somersault dive.

At that point even Laugher thought he was on the way out, tweeting between dives: 'Gonna be very hard to come back from that..'

But with no room for error he produced three near-perfect dives to sneak into the top 12 alongside team-mate Mears who, despite battling illness, was far more solid finishing eighth.

Warm-up: Gold in Holland would be a fabulous precursor to the summer

Warm-up: Gold in Holland would be a fabulous precursor to the summer

Tom Daley partner Peter Waterfield misses European Championships

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Daley's diving partner Waterfield pulls out of Euros with neck injury

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UPDATED:

12:00 GMT, 12 May 2012

Missing man: Peter Waterfield

Missing man: Peter Waterfield

Tom Daley's synchro platform partner Peter Waterfield has pulled out of next week's European Championships due to a neck injury.

Waterfield did not join the British team when it travelled to Eindhoven on Friday as a precaution to ensure his fitness for this summer's Olympics.

The injury is a blow to his preparations for the Games, however, with the European Championships the last international meet before London.

'I didn't go to the Europeans as i have a neck injury, so had an injection in it yesterday and have another on Thursday,' the 31-year-old, who won silver in the synchro platform at the 2004 Athens Olympics, wrote on his Twitter page.

'To make sure I'm all good for the games!'

Waterfield missed two months at the start of the year with side complaint but returned to take a bronze medal in a stunning display in the inidividual platform at the World Cup in London.

Partners: Waterfield wants to rest his injury to give him more of a chance of glory at the Games with Tom Daley

Partners: Waterfield wants to rest his injury to give him more of a chance of glory at the Games with Tom Daley

His performances alongside Daley since have been mixed after recieving criticsm following their seventh-placed finsh at the February World Cup.

They followed it with silver in the second leg of the World Series before rounding out the competition with a third placing in Tijuana, Mexico late last month.

Tom Daley wins diving gold in Mexico

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Golden boy! Daley's Olympic preparations boosted after victory in Mexico

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UPDATED:

08:22 GMT, 22 April 2012

Former world champion Tom Daley completed an impressive World Series campaign by claiming gold in the 10metre platform in Tijuana, Mexico.

With his major Chinese rival and world champion Qiu Bo absent, Daley stamped his authority over an otherwise world-class field to score 562.85.

That was almost 20 points clear of his closest challenger as the 17-year-old proved he is the biggest threat to Bo at this summer's Olympic Games in London.

On the podium: Tom Daley came third in the 10m diving

On the podium: Tom Daley came third in the 10m diving

Daley had claimed silver in the opening three legs of the World Series, finishing behind Bo in the opening two, to undermine claims he is not on course for an Olympic medal.

British Diving performance director Alexei Evangulov warned Daley in February that he faced bombing out in London because he was allowing his media commitments to affect his training.

Evangulov also likened Daley to fallen-star former tennis player Anna Kournikova and claimed his Chinese rivals “trained three times harder”.

Gong well: Daley claimed top spot in Mexico

Gong well: Daley claimed top spot in Mexico

A meeting between the duo after the World Cup in London resolved the matter and since Daley has rediscovered the form that helped him become world champion as a 15-year-old in 2009.

The Plymouth diver has also found success in the platform synchro with Peter Waterfield, adding a bronze medal yesterday to their silver earlier in the World Series.
Today's performance was, however, undoubtedly Daley's best as he narrowly beat his highest World Series score by 0.05 points, rounding out his performance by attracting a 10 for his final dive.

Waterfield had been fourth heading into the final dive but the veteran had to be content with sixth place.

Daley's gold medal capped a memorable day for Great Britain as men's 3m synchro pair Chris Mears and Nick Robinson-Baker claimed silver – the first ever global medal as a partnership.

The pair were beaten only by Chinese duo Kai Qin and Yutong Lou as they stunned their rivals with a score of 436.74.

The meet then concluded with a bronze for women's platform team Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow.

The duo had failed to claim a medal at the World Series since their third placing at the World Cup, but served as a reminder they are an Olympic hopeful as they edged Canada out of the medals by just 0.06 points with a score of 317.94.

Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield win World Series bronze

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British duo Daley and Waterfield grab World Series bronze in Mexico

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UPDATED:

08:49 GMT, 21 April 2012

Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield claimed bronze in the 10metre platform synchro at the final World Series leg in Tijuana, Mexico.

With the all-conquering Chinese absent, Daley and Waterfield produced their best score of the four-leg series to deservedly grab a place on the dais.

The duo returned a score of 446.88, which beat the total that earned them silver behind China in Beijing last month, in a highly-competitive final.

Bronze: Tom Daley (left) and Pete Waterfield finished in third

Bronze: Tom Daley (left) and Pete Waterfield finished in third

With a dive remaining Daley and Waterfield were less than two points off the lead but United States pair David Boudia and Nick McCrory held their nerve to take gold from the home Mexican pairing.

China's decision to skip the final major event before this summer's Olympics allowed the remaining nations the chance to go head-to-head to prove their medal credentials in London.

And while the British pair produced a solid performance they were given a reminder of the competitiveness of the discipline.

After Germany won last week in Moscow they had to be content with sixth, after bombing their final dive to fall out of contention, to underline the closeness of the field behind China ahead of the Olympics.

It was a good opening day of the meet for Great Britain with Plymouth diver Tonia Couch claiming fourth in the women's 10m platform while 17-year-old Jack Laugher reached his first 3m springboard final of the series.

Tom Daley and Pete Waterfield miss medals in Moscow

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Moscow misery for Daley and Waterfield as Brits miss medals

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UPDATED:

16:04 GMT, 13 April 2012

Tom Daley and Pete Waterfield failed to take advantage of a second-string China team as they missed the medals in the platform synchro on the opening day of the World Series event in Moscow.

An error-strewn performance from the British duo meant they were never likely to replicate the silver medal they won in the second leg of the series in Beijing last month.

Instead they had to be content with fifth place with a score of 429.39 as Germany's Sascha Klein and Patrick Hausding broke China's dominance.

No joy: Tom Daley (right) and Pete Waterfield finished fifth in Moscow

No joy: Tom Daley (right) and Pete Waterfield finished fifth in Moscow

The Chinese had won every gold at the opening two World Series events but second-choice pairing Lin Yue and Yuo Liang failed even to make the podium, finishing just ahead of Daley and Waterfield in fourth.

Earlier, Jack Laugher narrowly failed to reach the men's springboard final after recording a score of 425.95.

Friday's final day of competition will see Daley attempt to claim a third successive podium at this year's World Series in the individual platform.

The 17-year-old former world champion won silver in the opening two legs behind China's Qiu Bo.

Tom Daley wins silver medal in Beijing

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Daley does it again! Youngster teams up with Waterfield for second silver medal

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UPDATED:

11:12 GMT, 23 March 2012

Tom Daley claimed his second World Series silver medal inside a week after an impressive performance alongside Peter Waterfield in the platform synchro in Beijing.

After securing second in the individual platform in Dubai last weekend, the 17-year-old proved his Olympic medal hopes are just as strong in the synchro.

After an injury-interrupted start to the year Daley and veteran Waterfield have started to prove their world-class credentials, returning a score of 437.40 to take silver.

In sync: Tom Daley (left) and Peter Waterfield took silver in Beijing

In sync: Tom Daley (left) and Peter Waterfield took silver in Beijing

That represented their best international score since they claimed gold almost 12 months ago at the World Series meet in Sheffield.

Since then they have failed to reach the podium in a global competition to cast some doubt over their Olympic hopes.

They reached their lowest ebb last month when criticism over Daley's work ethic and media commitments from British Diving performance director Alexei Evangulov came at the same time as they could only manage seventh at the World Cup in London.

Silver lining: Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield

Making a splash: Tom Daley

Head over heels: Daley and Waterfield were among the medals

But after overcoming their injury problems, and a solid block of training, the duo have steadily improved to rediscover their best form.

They were narrowly tipped into fourth place in the opening leg of the World Series last week before Friday's result, which saw them beaten only by Chinese duo Yanquan Zhang and Yuan Cao.

Daley, who will compete in the individual platform on Saturday, revealed his delight on his Twitter page, writing: 'Silver in the world series synchro event in Beijing with Peter Waterfield – so chuffed!

'So pleased with our score and silver medal as scores were much higher….7th place score here would've got bronze in Dubai last week!'

Tom Daley isn"t distracted, says Tonia Couch

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Daley's not distracted! Team-mate Couch sticks up for underfire Olympic hopeful

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UPDATED:

23:00 GMT, 19 March 2012

Tom Daley’s bid for an Olympic diving medal is not being jeopardised by his media and sponsor work. That's the view of his close friend and fellow diver Tonia Couch.

Daley has been criticised by British Diving’s performance director Alexei Evangulov for not working hard enough during last month’s test event at the Aquatics Centre in Stratford, where he finished seventh with partner Pete Waterfield.

But the 17-year-old was in fine form at the FINA World Series event last weekend, finishing second in the individual event, something that came as no surprise to Couch, who is also from Plymouth.

Lying down on the job Media friendly Tom Daley has been criticised in some quarters about his focus ahead of the Olympic Games

Lying down on the job Media friendly Tom Daley has been criticised in some quarters about his focus ahead of the Olympic Games

‘Tom did very well this weekend,’ said Couch, speaking from Dubai. 'He's working hard, he always works hard and gives 100 per cent. I don’t even listen to what’s being said about him. He just keeps his head down and focuses on what he has to do.’

Couch also enjoyed an excellent weekend, finishing fourth in the individual 10m platform, with the signs encouraging that she can force her way into medal contention this summer in the individual or in the synchro with partner Sarah Barrow.

Head over heels: Tonia Couch has backed Daley to prove his critics wrong

Head over heels: Tonia Couch has backed Daley to prove his critics wrong

‘It went really well,’ said the 22-year-old. 'I finished fourth and was really pleased. I won my preliminary round, which was a little bit of a shock considering the best divers in the world were there and then scored the same points in the final to come fourth.

'I've had so many competitions in the last year and it’s paying off. I've just got to keep it going now. We’d love a medal in the synchro but you try not think about that, just focus on your performance and block out everybody else.'

The world’s best eight women divers were in Dubai, meaning the result offers real hope for Couch, who came eighth in both finals at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Now it is a case of perfecting her hardest dive in order to push for the podium in London.

'I need to work hard on my three-and-a-half somersault. I am at the moment. It’s one of the hardest dives there is. It’s very hard to squeeze that in from leaving the board to hitting the water. In a typical day, you try it five or six times in the day session and three in the evening because you have to practise your own routine.

Slump: Daley and partner Peter Waterfield performed poorly at the Aquatics Centre in London last month

Slump: Daley and partner Peter Waterfield performed poorly at the Aquatics Centre in London last month

‘We’ve got a new pool in Plymouth which is just as good as the Aquatics Centre. It’s called the Life Centre. It’s opening this weekend and that will make a massive difference to my preparations.

'At the current pool, our gym is in a squash court and it is freezing cold. Now we’ll have proper facilities, so it will be a lot more motivating – and warm! Also we’ll now have big enough boards to do synchro.’

Couch and Daley next head to Moscow and Tijuana in Mexico.

Plymouth Life Centre, operated by Everyone Active, opens this Saturday