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BROOKE GRADDON 13^TH IN THE WORLD

The last time Brooke Graddon made a team for a major international meeting was in June 2005, since then she has suffered two major back injuries and battled with glandular fever.

She made her comeback to international competition in November, when she scored a personal best and won a silver medal.  That was followed by a gold medal at an international meeting in Holland also in November and in January, the comeback was complete when she took the British Women’s platform title for the first time, scored another personal best and qualified for the World Cup.

Then, for the first time since 2005, the pressure began to mount!  A poor World Championships in 2007 meant that the British Team only had one place qualified for the 2008 Olympics in August.  The World Cup represents the last opportunity for divers to qualify places for their Country.

Brooke travelled to Beijing knowing that anything less than a top 18 and a semi-final place, would not guarantee a spot in the Women’s Platform event for the Olympics.  Leaving her with a “dive off” to contend places 19^th to 36^th and a place at the Olympics.

Fortunately for British Diving, Brooke and Stacie Powell (from Southampton), delivered above expectations and after they both qualified for the semi-final, securing those all important Olympic qualifying places, they were hoping to win through to the final (top 12).  Unfortunately, a missed final dive put paid to Brooke’s hopes of a finals place and left her in an agonising 13^th place, just 5 points off that all important 12^thspot.  Team-mate Stacie Powell did however qualify through to the final in 8^th place after her best international performance ever.

Despite being slightly disappointed with missing out on the final, Brooke is realistic and after an emotionally draining 2 years, she is just delighted that she’s back where she belongs, at the top of World Diving.

Team GB is flying high after a superb first 2 days.  Ben Swain and Nick Robinson-Baker, both from Sheffield, guaranteed themselves one of only 8 spots available in the Mens synchronised 3m event and with the two platform girls qualifying two spots comfortably, British Diving is meeting all it’s targets.

Sarah Barrow steps up to the plate tomorrow (Thurs) and with partner Monique McCarroll, will try and emulate the performance of Swain and Robinson-Baker.  The preliminary is at 2am our time and then hopefully the final will be at 12.45pm UK time.

Thomas Daley starts his campaign on Friday with the synchronised mens platform event.

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