Event 4 …… Moscow!
Some people might be surprised to learn that each diving pool is different and influences your approach to competition or training…
Take Moscow … Built in 1980 for the Olympic Games, the platforms have planks of wood at the end, so when you run it makes a big bang. The 10m platform is the biggest I’ve been on in terms of length. The 7.5m platform is being held up by some sort of metal plank and wire, and the surface on the platforms is weird! There is not enough room to practice Synchro on the lower platforms and the lane ropes are used to divide the diving pool (they are then taken out the morning of competition?!).
It is still, however, a pool divers can compete well in and I definitely felt more comfortable than in previous years but I didn’t see one diver that enjoyed being on that 10m platform!
In comparison to Moscow, you have the London Aquatic Centre. Built in 2012 for the Olympics the pool water and air is warm, the surface of the platforms are the same as every other pool in the UK and there is a warm jacuzzi, also the water agitation is perfect (for me) and there was an amazing crowd that created an excellent atmosphere.
So in each venue there are different situations to cope with, my favourite pool is in Barcelona and naturally I feel more comfortable in some pools than others but that is why diving can be so unpredictable, perhaps more than people think.
For the Russian leg of this years World Series, I arrived in Moscow feeling pretty fresh after London. It had been a successful week for Synchro and I wanted more from my individual. I trained well the first day we got in the pool so feeling optimistic I had intentions of having a really good week, the hotel was nice and the food was definitely not as bad as previous years.
Unfortunately, the competitions did not go the way I had hoped … Synchro was up first, like every World Series. We started off like we always want to, being top of the score board after the first dive.
I can’t tell you why but it did not go too well from there, possibly tiredness, I did not feel as good as when we competed in London and I was really disappointed with our position and score.
Individual competition came along on Sunday. I really wanted to dive well, sadly lacking in energy my performance was average. It’s quite hard to tell people about the competitions that don’t go so well, I never want to make excuses so I don’t tend too but everyone has those bad competitions.
Moving onto the last two legs in three weeks time, we head out to Canada and then Mexico, so there is lots of training to get on with…
Best Wishes……..Sarah x
