Members of Diving Australia’s National Talent & Junior Squads will cross the Tasman next week to compete in their first international competition, the Pacific Junior Championships in Wellington, New Zealand from 7 – 14 July.

Emerson Hoo, Hayden Brinckley, James Wood, Mila Klyne, Irene Kim and Piper Howard will put the learnings they obtained during their recent Camp in Sydney. 

Suzie Collins, Diving Australia General Manager – Performance Pathways, said the competition would provide a fantastic opportunity for these divers to experience international competition and build independence without having to battle long-haul flights and jet lag.

“It’s a great chance for the athletes to put into practice some of the skills they developed during the training camp held alongside the Open Nationals in Sydney. As part of DA’s MPC (Mental Performance in Competition) program, led by Laura Cosgrove, they worked both in and out of the pool on managing fear and handling pressure, as well as learning from some of the country’s top divers as they competed for spots on the World Championships Team.

"The work we’ve been doing with these athletes is all about helping them perform at their best not just in training, but under the pressure of competition. It’s about creating an environment where they feel confident to test out new strategies for staying focused, managing nerves, and performing consistently in a supportive and safe environment."

Pacific Junior Championships Team:

Name                                  Age Category       Event

Hayden Brinckley          B                          3m and Platform

James Wood                  A                          1m & 3m

Mila Klyne                      B/C                       1m, 3m, 3m Synchro and Platform

Piper Howard                 B                           3m, 3m Synchro and Platform

Irene Kim                        C                           1m, 3m, 3m Synchro and Platform

Emerson Hoo                 C                            1m, 3m Synchro and Platform