October 26, 2018
Swim Ireland’s Irish Open Diving Championships kicked off at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin today as 250 divers from across Europe gathered for Ireland’s premier diving event.
Edinburgh’s Eddie Gladstone Wallace collected the first title of the day as he picked up gold in the Age Group B Boys Platform with 231.65 points. Gladstone Wallace was the clear winner with a much tighter affair for silver and bronze where Beaumont Diving Academy’s William Miller prevailed for silver with 205.15 points and Cooper Ross of DuDive Dubai claimed bronze in 201.95.
In the girl’s event Plymouth’s Maria Marasescu topped the podium with 211.05 points, City of Leeds’s Elizabeth Powley took silver with 209 points while Shamrock Diving Club’s Caroline Begg was the first Irish medallist of the day taking bronze in 199.35.
There was more delight for Plymouth Divers as both Ellie Pearce and Katie Martin climbed the podium in the Age Group C Girls 1M. It was Pearce who took gold with 194.80 points, Dacorum DC’s Katie Townsend was just behind winning silver with 191.05 points while Martin collected bronze with 189.45 points, just .10 ahead of Dacorum’s Lana Webb (189.35).
In the boys’ event, City of Leeds team mates Jacob Bland and Lochlan Gibbons claimed gold and silver in 188 and 168.50 points respectively while Plymouths Jack Kinsman Moore completed the podium with 152.85 points.
The final event of the morning session saw both girls and boys compete in the E2/D Platform. City of Leeds were back atop the podium as Jaeda Sherman won gold in the girl’s event with 132.10 points, Plymouths Scarlette Colbourne won silver with 127.80 points while Shamrock DC’s Scarlett Shearer was the bronze medallist with 104.55. Plymouths Oliver Heath dominated the boy’s event with a win of 137.85 points, his team mate Theo Stevens was the bronze medallist with 112.90 points while City of Leeds’s Jack Bedford-Goulding won silver with 116.20.
Commonwealth Games and European Championships Bronze medallist James Heatly was in fine form as he topped the podium in the Men’s 3M event. Heatly of Edinburgh DC was the clear winner with 379.90 points ahead of City of Leeds’s Oliver Crompton (316.35) and Plymouth’s Connor Walsh (256.55).
Eddie Gladstone-Wallace claimed his second gold of the day in the Boys Age Group B 1M with a score of 214.05, it was one of the most exciting finishes of the day with .60 separating the top 3 and just .05 between Gladstone Wallace and silver medallist Mason Mills (214). William Miller added to his Platform silver with bronze in 213.45 points.
Elizabeth Powley bettered her Platform silver with gold in the 1M finishing with 246.05 points. Cambridge’s Frankie Webb took silver with 225.80 points while Maria Marasescu was back on the podium for bronze with 211.25 points.
City of Leeds claimed gold and silver once again as Breanna Harold (244.70) and Saffron Butler (233.45) claimed the top spots in the Girls A Platform, Harrogate’s Lara Bradley was third with 218.20 points.
Oliver Heath, Theo Stevens and Jack Bedford-Goulding were all back on the podium after the E2/D 3M Event. Heath topped the podium once again with 169.20 points while Stevens (140.75) claimed silver this time and Bedford-Goulding (126.50) bronze.
The girls event also saw some familiar faces climb the podium. Scarlett Colbourne went one better than her Platform silver to take gold with 158.45 points. Jaeda Sharman added to platform gold with silver in 148.60 points while Amy Wright of Bury Dragons was the bronze medallist with 127.40 points.
Clare Cryan took a first gold medal for Ireland as the National Centre Dublin diver dominated the women’s 1 Metre event. Cryan ended 5 rounds of diving with 244.85 points ahead of City of Leeds’s Holly Waxman (218.70) and Emily Bearpark (200).
Day one’s final events saw the girls and boys Group C divers take to the Platform. City of Leeds divers concluded an impressive opening day with wins for both girls and boys, Jacob Bland (188.55) and Libby-Eliza Mitson (221.70) both taking gold medals while team mate Lochlan Gibbons claimed a second silver medal with 153 points. Jack Kinsman Moore (130.15) completed the boy’s podium with his second bronze of the day, Ellie Pearce (195.95) and Katie Townsend (191) were also doubling up on medals when they finished second and third respectively in the girls event.
Competition continues tomorrow.
