Team Ireland Divers Announced for Tokyo Olympic Games Qualifier

Courtesy: Swim Ireland

Swim Ireland has today announced a team of four divers who will represent Ireland at the FINA Diving World Cup, the final qualifier for Diving ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games in July.

The qualification event, taking place at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, will run across six days from April 18^th – 23^rd with places for the Games available in the 3m Springboard and 10m Platform.

Rio 2016 Olympic Finalist Oliver Dingley will lead the team with Clare Cryan, Tanya Watson and Ciara McGing all aiming to be a first Irish female diver to qualify for an Olympic Games. Dingley and Cryan will compete in the 3M Springboard while Watson and McGing will be entered in the Platform event.

Divers securing a semi-final (top 18) place in each event will automatically qualify a place for their country at the Games. This is the second and final qualification event for the Games, the first, the FINA World Championships in 2019, allocated 12 qualification places.

National Diving Coach Damian Ball commented ‘The divers are all as fit, healthy, and prepared as possible, considering the current situation. The mood is positive around the poolside and we are all excited about the challenge ahead. We have selected a team with both youth and experience, which highlights our strong intention to qualify for this year’s Olympics while also preparing a team for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.’ 

Today, Swim Ireland also announce details of a new podcast series with the first six episodes ‘The Coaching Series’ getting to the nitty gritty of what it takes to coach the finest aquatic stars in Ireland in an Olympic & Paralympic year. To coincide with today’s Diving team announcement, the first episode features Irish National Diving Coach Damian Ball.

Listen: Swim Ireland Podcast

Press Releases will be issued daily from the Tokyo event which runs on the same week as the ‘Irish National Team Trials’. The trials will serve as a swimming qualification event for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, from 20^th – 24^th April at the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus.

FINA Diving World Cup, 18^th – 23^rd April 2021, Tokyo, Japan 

 Irish Divers Schedule

Tuesday 20^th April       Women 3M Springboard Prelims                   Clare Cryan

Wednesday 21^st April Women Platform Prelims                               Ciara McGing & Tanya Watson

Thursday April 22^nd     Men 3M Springboard Prelims                        Oliver Dingley