Chinese divers pose big threat

ROSS GIBLIN/The Dominion Post

HIGH HOPES: St Pat's Town diver Ollie Armstrong-Scott will compete against young divers from around the world at the Asia Pacific Rim junior diving invitational in Wellington in a fortnight.

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Future Olympic champions are lining up to take the plunge in Wellington this month.

A team of eight Chinese divers from the Shandong province head an international field for the inaugural Asia Pacific Rim junior diving invitational at the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre.

Wellington coach Steven Zhu expects the Chinese divers to offer stern competition for his charges, including St Catherine's College year 9 student Gabe Armstrong-Scott, Tom Green (Wellington College), and Ollie Armstrong-Scott (St Pat's Town).

"International competition, especially from the Chinese, will lift the game of our own divers," Zhu, who is the Wellington High Performance Aquatics coach, said.

Other overseas competitors in the 72-strong field are coming from the United States and Australia for the under-18 competition.

Chinese divers last visited Wellington in 1999 for the Fina World Diving Cup. The latest group are ranked highly. Of the female divers, Liang Hong Yu, is the youth champion in springboard. Lu Jing is ranked in the top three in her age- group in China, while male diver Tai Xiao Hu is a junior champion.

New Zealand's hopes will be spearheaded by Gabe Armstrong- Scott who won five titles at the national championships in October.

Armstrong-Scott and Alice Wylie- van Eerd will contest the girls' synchro event. The pair hope to qualify for October's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

Organisers have offered Wylie- van Eerd, who does not meet the under-18 entry requirement, a wildcard for the synchro competition.

Divers will compete in day and evening finals sessions from December 16 till December 18.

Team Wellington divers to compete at the Asia Pacific Rim junior invitational:

Tom Green - 1m and Platform, Ollie Armstrong Scott - 1m & 3m, Kate Irivng - 1m & 3m, Gabe Armstrong Scott - 1m, 3m, platform & synchro, Fiona Cameron - 1m, 3m & platform, Janine Sharma - 1m, 3m & platform, Beth Edwards - 1m, 3m & platform, Nicola Hodren - 1m & 3m (Wellington Diving Club). Alice Wylie-Van Eerd - Synchro. Penny Miles

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