Diving New Zealand To Send Largest Team Ever To World Champs
Diving New Zealand will send its largest team ever to the FINA World Championships to be held in Budapest in June. A team of eight divers, including six debutants, has been announced to compete in up to 11 events.
New Zealand will be represented by the experienced Anton Down-Jenkins and Liam Stone in the Men’s individual and synchronised springboard events, attending their third and fourth” World’s” respectively.
Nathan Brown will be joined by Luke Sipkes in the 10 metre Men’s event and Sipkes will team up with Wellington schoolboy, Arno Lee, for the 10 metre synchronised. North Harbour schoolgirls Maggie Squire and Mikali Dawson will compete in the women’s springboard and platform events. Squire, in turn, will partner with Frazer Tavener in the 3 metre synchronised event.
New Zealand will likely, for the first time ever, compete in the 10 metre mixed synchronised event.
DNZ Convenor of Selectors and FINA member, Simon Latimer, says “Most divers in contention for the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships have returned to competition this year stronger than they were prior to the pandemic. Credit should be given to coaching and support staff who helped these athletes maintain their motivation during a difficult couple of seasons. It has been pleasing to see so many of our divers achieve personal best scores over the last month or so”
DNZ Chair, Lindsay Stone, believes “this is just reward for these divers who have worked so hard under almost impossible circumstances – pretty fundamental to diving is a pool and not being able to use one for so long has required enormous resilience by New Zealand’s elite divers.”
“Diving is a growing sport in this country and competing in the World Champs is another opportunity to showcase the grace and aerial talents of the athletes. Diving really is an original extreme sport - it is exciting to take part, and thrilling to watch.”
The full team announced by Diving New Zealand is:
- Nathan Brown (Wellington)
- Mikali Dawson (North Harbour)
- Anton Down-Jenkins (Wellington)
- Arno Lee (Wellington)
- Luke Sipkes (North Harbour)
- Liam Stone (North Harbour)
- Maggie Squire (North Harbour)
- Frazer Tavener (Waitakere)
There is one further opportunity for qualification later in May.