Plymouth Diving Club awarded Dawdon Shield Trophy for top club

Plymouth Diving Club were awarded the Dawdon Shield Trophy for top club at the Swim England Diving National Age Group Championships 2023.

As the competition reached the later stages at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, it looked to be between Plymouth and home club, City of Sheffield.

But with a total of 17 medals won overall across the four days, it was Plymouth who got their hands on the trophy.

They took over from Southampton Diving Academy, who were crowned the top club at the 2022 championships.

Plymouth (249.00) and City of Sheffield (217.00) were the only clubs to break the 200 point mark – and Southend Diving were the third placed club with 162.00.

On winning the trophy, Plymouth coach Fito Gutierrez, said: “It’s pretty good. It gives us incentive to keep doing what we’re doing.

“I think since surviving the pandemic as a club, I’m so glad that all those kids were able to come here and compete. We kept them going for so long and it was so difficult, so I’m very pleased. As a club, it’s like the cherry on the top, it’s fantastic!

“To see the athletes on the podium is great, but to see them doing their best is what counts and that’s what we’re trying to do – to push them to that level that they might get on the podium or in the top six. That was our target and we achieved that.”

Fito was also awarded the Margaret Davies Trophy as the top coach of the competition.

On winning the award, he added: “You don’t expect it, it’s just something that when it happens, it happens. I’m very pleased and happy that it was me for this competition.”

Round-up of the medals for Plymouth

The club from the South West got off to a bright start on the opening day of the competition, winning three medals – two silver and one bronze.

Youngsters Isla Applin and Harry Westbury were the first to represent Plymouth on the podium in the 3m events.

Applin scored 154.85 points in the Girls Group D 3m to win silver, and Westbury secured bronze in the Boys Group D 3m.

Rounding off the first day was Will Heath and Oscar Westbury who teamed up to earn silver medals in the Boys Group C/D 1m Synchro.

Day two saw heroics from Plymouth’s Noah Underwood, who produced a stunning final dive to clinch the gold medal in the Boys Group B 3m.

The youngster was in second place following round six of the Boys Group B 3m, but a score of 64.40 for his Back 2 ½ Somersaults with tuck saw him move into the top spot.

It was the highest score for a single dive during that event and the only one to be awarded a nine from the judges. His overall total was 278.00.

In the Girls Group A 1m, Ellie Pearce steamed ahead of her rivals to claim gold and Lexi Davies finished in the bronze medal position in the Girls Group B Platform.

Inspired by the achievments of their teammates earlier in the day, the afternoon of day two saw Plymouth continue to add to their medal tally.

Ben Hall posted 239.80 to finish third in the Boys Group A 1m to win bronze, Heath won another bronze in the Boys Group C 3m and Underwood was back on top of the podium, this time alongside teammate Alex Whittaker, to win the Boys Group A/B 3m Synchro title.

Familiar faces were on the podium during day three, as Davies added to her personal medal collection with a gold in a close battle for the Girls Group B 1m crown, before joining Erin Healey to claim the Girls Group A/B 3m Synchro bronze.

There was another strong win for Pearce in the Girls Group A 3m, while Underwood added to his day two success with silver in the Boys Group B Platform, and Plymouth’s Heath and Oscar Westbury clinched silver and bronze respectively in the Boys Group C 1m.

The final day of action saw Davies complete a full collection, adding her first silver to her gold and bronze medals.

She finished second in the Girls Group B 3m with 243.65 points and Hall took the seventeenth medal after being crowned as the bronze medallist in the Boys Group A Platform event.

Plymouth Diving Club were awarded the Dawdon Shield Trophy for top club at the Swim England Diving National Age Group Championships 2023.

As the competition reached the later stages at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, it looked to be between Plymouth and home club, City of Sheffield.

But with a total of 17 medals won overall across the four days, it was Plymouth who got their hands on the trophy.

They took over from Southampton Diving Academy, who were crowned the top club at the 2022 championships.

Plymouth (249.00) and City of Sheffield (217.00) were the only clubs to break the 200 point mark – and Southend Diving were the third placed club with 162.00.

On winning the trophy, Plymouth coach Fito Gutierrez, said: “It’s pretty good. It gives us incentive to keep doing what we’re doing.

“I think since surviving the pandemic as a club, I’m so glad that all those kids were able to come here and compete. We kept them going for so long and it was so difficult, so I’m very pleased. As a club, it’s like the cherry on the top, it’s fantastic!

“To see the athletes on the podium is great, but to see them doing their best is what counts and that’s what we’re trying to do – to push them to that level that they might get on the podium or in the top six. That was our target and we achieved that.”

Fito was also awarded the Margaret Davies Trophy as the top coach of the competition.

On winning the award, he added: “You don’t expect it, it’s just something that when it happens, it happens. I’m very pleased and happy that it was me for this competition.”

Round-up of the medals for Plymouth

The club from the South West got off to a bright start on the opening day of the competition, winning three medals – two silver and one bronze.

Youngsters Isla Applin and Harry Westbury were the first to represent Plymouth on the podium in the 3m events.

Applin scored 154.85 points in the Girls Group D 3m to win silver, and Westbury secured bronze in the Boys Group D 3m.

Rounding off the first day was Will Heath and Oscar Westbury who teamed up to earn silver medals in the Boys Group C/D 1m Synchro.

Day two saw heroics from Plymouth’s Noah Underwood, who produced a stunning final dive to clinch the gold medal in the Boys Group B 3m.

The youngster was in second place following round six of the Boys Group B 3m, but a score of 64.40 for his Back 2 ½ Somersaults with tuck saw him move into the top spot.

It was the highest score for a single dive during that event and the only one to be awarded a nine from the judges. His overall total was 278.00.

In the Girls Group A 1m, Ellie Pearce steamed ahead of her rivals to claim gold and Lexi Davies finished in the bronze medal position in the Girls Group B Platform.

Inspired by the achievments of their teammates earlier in the day, the afternoon of day two saw Plymouth continue to add to their medal tally.

Ben Hall posted 239.80 to finish third in the Boys Group A 1m to win bronze, Heath won another bronze in the Boys Group C 3m and Underwood was back on top of the podium, this time alongside teammate Alex Whittaker, to win the Boys Group A/B 3m Synchro title.

Familiar faces were on the podium during day three, as Davies added to her personal medal collection with a gold in a close battle for the Girls Group B 1m crown, before joining Erin Healey to claim the Girls Group A/B 3m Synchro bronze.

There was another strong win for Pearce in the Girls Group A 3m, while Underwood added to his day two success with silver in the Boys Group B Platform, and Plymouth’s Heath and Oscar Westbury clinched silver and bronze respectively in the Boys Group C 1m.

The final day of action saw Davies complete a full collection, adding her first silver to her gold and bronze medals.

She finished second in the Girls Group B 3m with 243.65 points and Hall took the seventeenth medal after being crowned as the bronze medallist in the Boys Group A Platform event.

Plymouth Diving Club were awarded the Dawdon Shield Trophy for top club at the Swim England Diving National Age Group Championships 2023.

As the competition reached the later stages at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, it looked to be between Plymouth and home club, City of Sheffield.

But with a total of 17 medals won overall across the four days, it was Plymouth who got their hands on the trophy.

They took over from Southampton Diving Academy, who were crowned the top club at the 2022 championships.

Plymouth (249.00) and City of Sheffield (217.00) were the only clubs to break the 200 point mark – and Southend Diving were the third placed club with 162.00.

On winning the trophy, Plymouth coach Fito Gutierrez, said: “It’s pretty good. It gives us incentive to keep doing what we’re doing.

“I think since surviving the pandemic as a club, I’m so glad that all those kids were able to come here and compete. We kept them going for so long and it was so difficult, so I’m very pleased. As a club, it’s like the cherry on the top, it’s fantastic!

“To see the athletes on the podium is great, but to see them doing their best is what counts and that’s what we’re trying to do – to push them to that level that they might get on the podium or in the top six. That was our target and we achieved that.”

Fito was also awarded the Margaret Davies Trophy as the top coach of the competition.

On winning the award, he added: “You don’t expect it, it’s just something that when it happens, it happens. I’m very pleased and happy that it was me for this competition.”

Round-up of the medals for Plymouth

The club from the South West got off to a bright start on the opening day of the competition, winning three medals – two silver and one bronze.

Youngsters Isla Applin and Harry Westbury were the first to represent Plymouth on the podium in the 3m events.

Applin scored 154.85 points in the Girls Group D 3m to win silver, and Westbury secured bronze in the Boys Group D 3m.

Rounding off the first day was Will Heath and Oscar Westbury who teamed up to earn silver medals in the Boys Group C/D 1m Synchro.

Day two saw heroics from Plymouth’s Noah Underwood, who produced a stunning final dive to clinch the gold medal in the Boys Group B 3m.

The youngster was in second place following round six of the Boys Group B 3m, but a score of 64.40 for his Back 2 ½ Somersaults with tuck saw him move into the top spot.

It was the highest score for a single dive during that event and the only one to be awarded a nine from the judges. His overall total was 278.00.

In the Girls Group A 1m, Ellie Pearce steamed ahead of her rivals to claim gold and Lexi Davies finished in the bronze medal position in the Girls Group B Platform.

Inspired by the achievments of their teammates earlier in the day, the afternoon of day two saw Plymouth continue to add to their medal tally.

Ben Hall posted 239.80 to finish third in the Boys Group A 1m to win bronze, Heath won another bronze in the Boys Group C 3m and Underwood was back on top of the podium, this time alongside teammate Alex Whittaker, to win the Boys Group A/B 3m Synchro title.

Familiar faces were on the podium during day three, as Davies added to her personal medal collection with a gold in a close battle for the Girls Group B 1m crown, before joining Erin Healey to claim the Girls Group A/B 3m Synchro bronze.

There was another strong win for Pearce in the Girls Group A 3m, while Underwood added to his day two success with silver in the Boys Group B Platform, and Plymouth’s Heath and Oscar Westbury clinched silver and bronze respectively in the Boys Group C 1m.

The final day of action saw Davies complete a full collection, adding her first silver to her gold and bronze medals.

She finished second in the Girls Group B 3m with 243.65 points and Hall took the seventeenth medal after being crowned as the bronze medallist in the Boys Group A Platform event.