Tower of Terror awaits

Divers facing challenges in the open air

DIVING: A significant drop in wind speed is likely to be enough to prevent disaster on the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre’s “Tower of Terror” as athletes are put under the spotlight in night competition at the open-air venue.

Diving starts today, when those on the 10m platform will face conditions some of Australia’s best have labelled “scary”.

But a change in the weather may be a blessing for competitors, who will face occasional gusts up to 40km/h but should escape the rain squalls and consistent blustery conditions that have been plaguing the Coast.

Gusts up to 70km/h were recorded last week and while there was a stiff breeze yesterday, Weatherzone forecaster Brett Dutschke said conditions were expected to ease today and into the weekend.

Some competitors, including the Gold Coast’s Olympic silver medallist Brittany Broben and current Australian team member Brittany O’Brien, have described the platform at the venue adjacent to the Southport Broadwater as “scary”, especially with divers performing at night during the Games.

But Channel 7 commentator and Olympic gold medallist Matthew Mitcham, who has competed at the venue, said all divers knew the pool was outdoors and would have trained with this in mind.

“All of the divers that have gotten to the Commonwealth Games are pretty competent,” Mitcham said.

“And everyone at an international level would have some experience in outdoor diving.

“It is a trade-off between the benefits of an outdoor pool bringing wonderful scenes and a beautiful backdrop, but it does add extra variables that the athletes need to consider, like rain and wind.”

Several training camps have been held on the Gold Coast in the lead-up to the Games to allow the Australians to become accustomed to the challenges of diving outdoors and at night.

And while athletes from several Commonwealth nations have taken part in the FINA diving grand prix meets on the Gold Coast in the lead-up to the Games, there will be divers tackling the notorious venue’s challenges for the first time this week.

Melissa Wu will start her fourth Commonwealth Games campaign today in the 10m synchronised event with Teju Williamson and her strategy is to commit to the job and ignore the weather.

“It is what it is and everyone’s in the same boat,” she said.

“You’ve just got to commit to it and when you stand there and commit to it and you go for it, you’re not really focusing on the conditions, you’re focusing on the job at hand and being able to perform the dive the best you can.”