Rosie Whiting shot straight from her last A level exam to the ASA National Diving Championships in South-ampton.

Whiting, pictured in mid-dive, opened proceedings with a 21-point personal best score on her 3m optional dives, winning the preliminary. She then continued with good form over the five rounds of the semi-final to maintain first position. Only one slight mistake on a reverse dive cost her ten points to carry into the final.

The final turned into a battle between Whiting and Tandy Gerard, a world calibre diver who trained in South Africa and now competes from Leeds.

Gerard opened up a lead in the first two rounds and although Whiting scored 148 points on her last three dives for yet another personal best, Gerard had enough in the bag and secured the win with a superb final dive.

Whiting, though, can be well pleased to take the English Senior title and the Junior National title in her last junior year.

The same two battled it out for the 1m springboard titles. This time Whiting was a little under par and, although well ahead of the remaining English girls, lost the knockout to Gerard by 30 points.

A tired Whiting finished third with partner Lisa Pobereskin, from Plymouth in the 3m synchronised event in the evening.

The 1m, normally her preferred event, was up and down but her final score of 194.25 to win the event was five points off her personal best.

Matthew Cowen, at 13 the youngest competitor in the championships, looked the part of his Junior Olympic Programme status.

Starting out with tenth place in the men's 3m springboard with a personal best 396.95 he improved in the platform contest finishing third in the men's with another personal best of 380.70 taking silver in the junior boys.

Gavin Brown was one place ahead of Cowen in this event getting a FINA A qualifying score in both prelims and finals and with synchro partner Blake Aldridge from Crystal Palace, he won both synchronised titles.

In the women's platform, Rebecca Burrows battled through the pain barrier to take a well deserved silver behind Amanda Page from Sheffield. Burrows, suffering from a badly bruised hand, finishes her domestic season as the National Junior Platform champion.