The British Diving Team that will be competing at the FINA World Championships in Kazan has been announced and will see the nine Brits take on the world’s best as they try to qualify quota places for Great Britain at next year’s Olympics.
In order to secure quota places for the 3m Springboard and 10m Platform events at the Olympic Games in Rio, British divers need to reach the final in those respective events in Kazan. And with six divers ranked in the world top 12 after this year’s FINA/NVC Diving World Series, the team is full of confidence.
The nine-strong contingent includes Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley who will be returning to World Championship competition after winning gold at the Commonwealth Games and silver at the European Championships in 2014.
Daley has enjoyed a strong start to 2015 with gold at the British Championships and six medals from the FINA/NVC Diving World Series including gold at the London leg.
“Competing at the World Championships a year out from Rio is a key moment for all of the British Divers.” Daley said. “We’ll be looking to grab those Olympic spots for Great Britain, that’s our main aim at this competition. The more places we qualify in Kazan, the less pressure we’ll have at the World Cup in 2016, which would be the next opportunity for us to qualify for Rio.”
“I love competing and I love facing up to the best in the world. Most of the team has been on the World Series circuit so we’ve been competing at a high level for most of the season but I think everyone will up their game at the Worlds.
“I can’t wait to get out there. We’ve been working really hard in training to make sure we are at our best on the day and winning medals earlier in the season gives me confidence going into Kazan.”
Double Commonwealth Champion Jack Laugher has broken onto the international circuit with a stand out 2014 and he’s stood on top of the podium three times during the FINA/NVC Diving World Series.
“Last season was great for me. Not only did I win three Commonwealth medals but I won my first senior World Cup medal,” Laugher said. “It built my confidence to know that I could really challenge the divers I’d always looked up to.
“This season has started really well for me. I knew I had it in me to win gold medals but it was about getting consistency and confidence in my new dives. To win three gold medals in the World Series was great and I know that I have what it takes to really challenge in Kazan.
“The World Championships really brings out the best in every diver and I want to show everything I have learnt throughout 2015. The main aim is to definitely qualify that spot in Rio but if I can be consistent in my dives who knows what could happen.”
Also featuring on the team is World Series overall winner Tonia Couch who will be competing individually and also with partner Sarah Barrow in the 10m Synchro.
Couch and Barrow have enjoyed success as a pair and individually through 2014/15 and will be aiming to reach the final of each event.
“I am really excited to be off to my sixth World Championships,” Couch said. “It’s our last major competition ahead of Rio and I have been making sure that everything is going right in training.
“I have been working really hard leading up to Kazan and I hope that it pays off because I’ve had a great year so far including winning the overall title of the FINA World Series.
“To get that Olympic quota place is what we are all thinking about and I want to do that so the pressure is off coming into the Olympic year and the World Cup.”
Commonwealth Champions Rebecca Gallantree and Alicia Blagg will be our challengers in the 3m Springboard and 3m Synchro and having gained confidence through their victory last summer they will be aiming for the essential consistency throughout their competitions.
Making their World Championship debut are Matty Lee and James Denny who have competed together at the FINA/NVC Diving World Series and the European Diving Championships. Lee is coming to Kazan on the back of winning an impressive gold at the European Olympic Games in Baku.
The British Diving Team consists of:
Tom Daley – Dive London
James Denny – City of Leeds
Jack Laugher – City of Leeds
Matty Lee – City of Leeds
Chris Mears – City of Leeds
Sarah Barrow – Plymouth Diving
Alicia Blagg – City of Leeds
Tonia Couch – Plymouth Diving
Rebecca Gallantree – City of Leeds
Swimming news courtesy of British Swimming.
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