Courtesy: LEN
Russia retained its top spot on the medal table at the European Junior Diving Championships in Rijeka. The Russians swept all synchro titles and grabbed three out of the four platform golds last week. The Italians and the Brits also offered fine performances, while Sweden may have found another female diving star.
After the painfully lost 2020 season, LEN was determined to restart the agegroup competitions this summer and first the young divers could return to the boards to enjoy another great edition of a junior European Championships.
At the outdoor pool of the marvellous Kantrida complex in Rijeka, 17 events were contested in the usual format: the juniors and the youths competed separately in the individual events, while the synchro and the jumping finals were open for all participants.
Russia dominated the week as their talented athletes swept all four synchro events and three out four platform finals. Italy’s new generation took both 1m and 3m titles in the youth category among the boys and girls alike – Elisa Pizzini made the double here –, while the Brits offered a fine overall performance, grabbing medals in both age-groups, including two golds.
Sweden may have found a new diving queen in Emilia Garip Nilsson who won the 1m and the 3m events among the juniors and might continue the great traditions set by Olympic champion Ulrika Knape and her daughter, European gold medallist and five-time Olympian Anne Lindberg.
While super-power Germany had to settle for a silver and two bronzes this time, Jules Bouyer delivered a great victory for France in the junior 3m. Spain also enjoyed some fine days with five medals altogether and in a rare scenario host Croatia and Romania also clinched a bronze apiece during the championships.
The LEN age-group championships roll on, this week features the artistic swimmers’ event in Malta and the girl’s U15 water polo Europeans in Szentes (HUN), while next week Rome will host the swimming showcase in the magnificent Foro Italico complex.
