University of Tennessee Athletics
Future Diver Wins at British Championships
January 15, 2008 | Women's Swimming & Diving
MANCHESTER, England ??? Future Lady Vol diver Jodie McGroarty competed well in the British National Diving Championships last week, taking home a gold medal from the three-meter board. She also teamed up with Louise Van Hoof to finish second in the three-meter synchronized diving event at the Manchester Aquatic Centre in Manchester, England.
???I am extremely pleased and excited that Jodie placed first in the women???s individual three meter at last weekend???s British National Diving Championships,??? Lady Vol Head Diving Coach Dave Parrington said.
McGroarty, who competes for the City of Sheffield Dive Club, was second in the three-meter prelims with a score of 268.40, before taking first in both the semifinals (286.40) and finals (290.60). The Sheffield, England, native grabbed the lead from Van Hoof on her last dive.
McGroarty was scheduled to attend the University of Tennessee this spring, but will stay in England to continue training for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Her performance at the National Championships earned her a spot on Britain???s diving contingent at the FINA Diving World Cup in Beijing from Feb. 19-24. She is one of two British representatives in the women???s three-meter event competing to qualify Britain for the Olympics.
???In addition to competing at the Diving World Cup in Beijing, she will compete in various other international diving competitions worldwide this spring and summer in preparation for the Olympic Games,??? Parrington said. ???The experience she will gain from this and the other meets will be invaluable in her preparation for her Olympic trials and will certainly be a major plus once she steps on campus as a Lady Volunteer.???
McGroarty has been competing for Great Britain in international competition since 2003. This past November, she came in third in the three-meter synchronized diving event at the KlingerCook Trophy in her hometown of Sheffield. In 2006, she was the National Age Group Champion in the one meter, three meter and three-meter synchronized diving. The same year she placed second in the three-meter synchronized diving and fourth from the three-meter board at the Senior Nationals. McGroarty, originally from Zimbabwe, finished in third place in the synchronized diving event at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2005, McGroarty placed second from the one-meter board at Senior Nationals. She competed at the European Juniors competition in Germany in 2004 and was fourth overall.
