The future of Australian Diving is looking bright with the announcement of the 2025 DA National Talent Squad (NTS).

2024 NTS members Mila Klyne and Piper Howard from Queensland, will this year be joined by new recruits from NSW, Hayden Brinckley, Zachary Chan, Emerson Hoo and Irene Kim.

The squad was brought together for the first time last month for a NTS camp in Brisbane 

Over the course of the camp, the divers, coaches and staff participated in a range team bonding exercises as well as workhops - including the Mental Performance in Competition Program and practical injury prevention and recovery sessions with Physiotherapist Michelle Sinclair.

Diving Australia’s General Manager of Performance Pathways Suzie Collins, said that the camp provided the athletes with invaluable knowledge and experience.

“Camps like these are intended to not only prepare them for future camps and competitions, but are designed to get the athletes to collaborate with divers and coaches from other states as well as with athletes from Junior and Senior National Squads,” said Suzie. 

As part of this collaborative approach, the NTS was paid special visits by a number of the sport's leading athletes, including:  Maddison Keeney, Cassiel Rousseau, Alysha Koloi, Xantheia Pennisi, Rikuto Tamai and Liam Stone.

Being given the opportunity to chat and learn from some of the sport’s best,  proved to be a real camp highlight for the NTS divers. 

As the squad works toward their first international meet in New Zealand later in the year, Suzie said the camp served as great exposure to the level of independence required to compete as a national and international representative.

Historically the divers first opportunity to travel would be as part of the Junior National Squad and normally over to Europe or the USA,” said Suzie. “The camps and competition opportunities we are now providing the National Talent Squad athletes aim to provide some stepping stones along the way to ensure they have all the skills and tools they need to make the most of the competitions further afield.”  

The NTS has a big 2025 ahead of them, with another camp in Sydney- which coincides with Open Nationals - before they head across the ditch to compete at the Pacific Junior Diving Championships in July.

As these divers take their first steps into the Diving Australia Performance Pathway, it is difficult not to get excited about what the future has in store for this talented group of young superstars. 

2025 DA NATIONAL TALENT SQUAD 

Hayden Brinckley  (NSW)

Zachary Chan (NSW)

Emerson Hoo (NSW)

Piper Howard (QLD)

Irene Kim  (NSW)

Mila Klyne (QLD)