CITY of Bradford Esprit Diving Club and divers from the Bradford area dominated the ASA National age group championships in London and among them was Burley-in-Wharfedale's Rosie Whiting.

For the Esprit divers it was time for some new hands to make their first impression on the National scene while others maintained their winning performances of previous Nationals.

Fresh from the NEC age groups Rosie Whiting, NEC 3m champion, was always going to feature in the Under-15 girl's events, and that she did.

There was more than national success at stake, with the top two finishers in contention for the European Junior Championships in Belgium in August.

It was always going to be tough with Sarah Soo, of Crystal Palace, a strong favourite as the European champion and bronze medal winner from last year.

She in fact did win but the battle was behind her. Rosie dived superbly and but for a slight drop on two of her dives would have been close to Soo.

She finished in bronze with a personal best score of 316.25 points, her first national individual medal in possibly the most fiercely contested age group with six divers chasing Soo.

In the GB trial for the European Juniors Rosie had to drop the score of one dive, which is nominated before the event.

The National test being harder than the European test. The dive she nominated was her back two and a half somersaults, which as it turns out was her highest scoring dive.

Her inward two and a half somersaults, normally her most consistent, was the dropped dive that was needed to make the grade for the European selection.

Rosie went on to score a personal best finishing seventh in the 1m event and win bronze with her partner from Centre Diving Club, Sheffield, Frances Cooke, in the 3m synchro event.

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