Young divers take aim at national team

In every post-Olympics year, the rebuild begins.

For diving, it comes through Saanich Commonwealth Place today through Sunday for the Marc LePoole Speedo Sting International, featuring 140 of Canada’s brightest young hopes for the next couple of quadrennials.

Two names from the host Victoria Boardworks Club to watch on the road to Tokyo 2020 are 24-year-old national team member and FINA World Cup international Celina Toth, women’s tower silver medallist at the recent Winter Nationals, and 19-year-old Ryan Grover, who will also be competing in the Puerto Rico Grand Prix in May.

The younger Boardworks divers who people are keeping tabs on include Bryden Hattie, eighth at the 2016 world junior championships in Kazan, Russia, and Tanesha Lucoe, both 15.

“We have a very strong club,” said Boardworks general manager Lisa Boog. “We have three full-time coaches and depth at every level.”

The LePoole Speedo Sting International will also double as the qualifying meet to earn berths on the Canadian junior national team that will compete in the 2017 Youth International Diving Meet next month in Dresden, Germany. Hattie was bronze medallist on the platform last year in Dresden as a 14-year-old. Boardworks divers raising eyebrows in 12-andunder are Carson Paul, already Pan Am junior top-eight, and Keira Lu.

There are 25 teams competing this weekend, including two from the United States. The diving runs from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day.