THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – Nine members of the Thunder Bay Diving Club returned to the city last night after a successful competition. It is the first time ever that TBDC has attended the annual March meet in Kitchener, named the Phoenix Invitational.
Over 100 hundred athletes were in attendance from clubs across the province. Of the nine Thunder Bay athletes, four used the Kitchener meet as their competition debut.
Madeleine Dagenais, who only started training with the club in September, earned a gold medal in the Tier 2 level 8-9 age group on 1m springboard. This was Dagenais’ first competition.
In the 10-11 age group, two other TBDC girls were in a deep field for their first-ever diving meet. Lily Dixon won bronze and Jennie Farmer placed 9th in the Tier 3 level 1m springboard.
Angus Neil, the most experienced local diver at the meet, swept gold in the Tier 2 level 1m and 3m springboards for 12-13 age group boys. Graeme Napper won silver in the Tier 2 level 5m platform for the same age group, and placed 4th and 5th on 3m & 1m springboards, respectively.
Jaden Doerr won bronze and two 4th place finishes in her Tier 2 level 12-13 age group on 3m springboard, 1m springboard and 5m platform, respectively. Kathryn Scofich, returning from a lingering injury, placed 13th and 14th in the Tier 2 level 12-13 age group 1m & 3m springboard events.
Scofich also placed 4th in the Tier 3 level 5m platform. Parker Costanzo, who learned a new dive last Thursday in order to compete in Kitchener, won a bronze medal in her Tier 3 level 12-13 age group on 1m springboard. This was Costanzo’s first-ever competition.
MacKynzie Strey was the sole competitor in her Tier 3 level 14-15 age group on the 1m springboard. She decided to learn a new dive that morning to compete in a deep Tier 2 level event instead. Strey placed a respectable 9th place.
Coach Doug Bluchier was very pleased with how the weekend went: “I’m very proud of all of them and how they conducted themselves all weekend.”
Thunder Bay Diving Club looks forward to their next competition, the Ontario Summer Provincial Championships, May 17-19 in Ottawa.
TBDC’s Spring Learn-to-Dive session starts this week, with no experience necessary. Registration is available online at www.tbdc.ca.
Hope to see you out on the pool deck soon. “Celebrating 37 years of Building Friendships, Building Champions”
