Hannah Starling created history overnight winning Great Britain’s first ever World Junior medal in the Girls A Springboard category at the World Junior Diving Championships in Adelaide.
The 17-year old won bronze in one of the closest competitions of the Championships so far with a score of 457.55, just behind USA’s Gracia Leydon Mahoney (463.10) and China’s Zheng Qulin (460.40).
With less than six points separating the top four, Starling was consistent throughout her four dives in the final, improving her preliminary score by 25 points.
“I’m really happy with my Bronze medal,” said Starling, who finished 13th in the same event on her Olympic debut at London 2012 earlier this season.
“It was so unexpected so I’m delighted.
“I was nervous in the prelims and I felt like there was some expectation because I competed at the Olympics so I decided to go in and just enjoy it, and it worked.”
Starling’s British and City of Leeds teammate Alicia Blagg was 10th overall with a score of 424.10.
The pair will compete again tomorrow in the 3m Synchro event.
“We haven’t competed together for about six years,” said Starling. “It will be our first international together so we have no expectations. We’re going to go in, get some experience and see how we dive.”
