Youngsters fare well at Diving event

A SQUAD of 24 of the younger members of Plymouth Diving, Sponsored by Pilkington Estates, adventured to Southampton to embark on their new competition season in the Peter Waterfield Skills competition.

- STEFAN KELLY

The squad included 12 of the national finals squad from the previous season and 10 debutants.

Before the competition started, the divers presented one of the coaches, Josh Freeman, a leaving card as this was going to be his last competition before embarking on a career within the Royal Navy and will be sadly missed by all at Plymouth Diving.

The E categories started the event off in front of a large vocal crowd with nine Plymouth diving competitors being involved.

The girls event was hotly contested with dives being of the highest calibre and the lead changing many times. When the dust had settled, Phoebe-Mae Evans came out on top with gold producing some lovely dives from the poolside section especially. Ivy-May Davey also finished on the podium with a third place bronze. 

Finishing in the top 10 was Honor Grace Kelly in sixth place, her highest finish to date, Lyra Johnson took eighth place on debut with an impressive 240.95 and Bethany Hockaday in ninth with 238.70.

Also in E girls were debutants Lacey-May Hocking in 14th place on 222.40, Myia Lilley (16th, 221.85) and Charleigh Sharpe (21st, 184.85).

These were brilliant scores from all nine of the Plymouth diving competitors and they will take a lot of confidence moving forward to the next competitions in the new year.