Swim Ireland Announces Teams for Summer Internationals

National Performance Director Jon Rudd has confirmed a selection of five divers who will compete in four major international events over the summer of 2018. Swim Ireland’s divers will compete at the LEN European Junior Championships, FINA World Junior Championships and the LEN European Championships.

Rio Olympian Oliver Dingley will spearhead the senior team and an exciting new team of junior divers will be making their full international debuts over the summer.

Oliver Dingley, training Swim Ireland’s National Centre (Dublin), kicked things off with the FINA Diving World Cup in Wuhan, China this week. The 25-year-old was taking on the very best divers in the World in the 3m Springboard event, where he placed 7th in today’s final to ensure he has a place in the FINA Diving World Series in 2019, only the top 8 secured places in the exclusive series. Dingley was last part of the series in 2017 after his 8th place finish at the Rio Olympic Games.

Dingley will next lead Team Ireland Divers at the LEN European Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland from 6th-12th August and compete in his favored 3m Springboard as well as the 1m Springboard event. Joining him will be National Centre (Dublin) based diver Jack Ffrench and Southampton diver Tanya Watson.

Three junior divers will make their full international debut at the LEN European Junior Championships from 25th June – 1st July. Training out of the National Centre in Dublin, Anna Power and Ciara McGing will compete with Tanya Watson in Helsinki, Finland. Power and McGing are set to make history at the event becoming the first Irish pairing to compete in an international synchronized diving event.

As well as European Senior and Junior Championships Watson will also compete at the FINA World Junior Championships in Kiev, Ukraine from 23rd–29th July.  A nomination to the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) has also been made for Irish divers to compete at the IOC World Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aries, Argentina. The World Junior Championships is the gateway to the Youth Olympics and it is hopeful that Watson will dive her way into this prestigious event.

Speaking from China on today’s announcement National Head Coach for Diving, Damian Ball said “I’m absolutely delighted for Oliver to regain his status as a top 8 diver in the World. Results like this aren’t possible without a strong team behind the scenes. Our diving team is growing in strength and character and it’s great to see how far Irish diving has come since the Rio Olympic Games. The great aspect of the summer international selections is our new junior teams. Anna, Ciara and Tanya are three young and exciting divers who will play an important part in Ireland’s future.”