DIVING TEAM READY TO MAKE SPLASH IN KAZAN

The Australian diving team is quietly confident of a strong showing when the FINA World Championships begin in Kazan, Russia, this weekend.

The Australians will enter teams in two new events, mixed springboard and platform synchro, and also have several divers currently in career best form.

James Connor is the X factor in the Australian team.

The 20-year-old Victorian has spent the past couple of years at college in the United States, but returned to Australia for the World Championship qualifiers and blew the opposition away.

Connor dominated in every event he entered, winning the individual and synchro 3-metre and 10-metre titles.

He’ll have the busiest programme in Kazan, competing in all the events he dominated in Brisbane.

He’ll dive with Matthew Mitcham’s Commonwealth Games gold medal partner, Domonic Bedggood, in the platform synchro, and with Mitcham’s 3-metre synchro partner, Grant Nel, in the 3-metre.

Connor is not phased by his workload.

“After the (London) Olympics I went through a bit of a phase of what’s right for me, what should I be doing,” Connor said.

“A coach once said to me, why would I limit my chances of making the Australian team? I’m enjoying being a jack-of-all trades and trying my hand at everything.

“As far as which of these events I would like to contest if I’m lucky enough to qualify for Rio, that’s a call we’ll make closer to the event.”

One of Australia’s best chances for a medal in Kazan will come on day two, when Samantha Mills and Esther Qin contest the 3-metre synchro.

Mills and Qin have won three silver medals at a World Series level since coming together as a synchro team 12 months ago.

Mills is ready for the step up in competition.

“I think we’ll go in their pretty confident, knowing we’ve beaten most of the best teams in the world,” Mills said.

“We’re feeling more relaxed and less nervous with every competition.”

Maddison Keeney is considered a strong medal prospect in the springboard events, especially if she has an incident-free run in the 1-metre

The Perth teenager was on track for a certain gold medal at last year’s Commonwealth Games, until a baulk cost her a two-point deduction and relegated her to silver.

Keeney and Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Esther Qin, will be among the favourites to make the final of the 3-metre.

Team captain Melissa Wu will compete in three events, including alongside Bedggood in one of the new events on the diving program, the mixed platform synchro.

She’ll also team up with Lara Tarvit for the women’s platform synchro, and will contest the individual platform.

Nel and Keeney will contest the other new event, the mixed 3-metre synchro, while Nel will also join Connor in the individual 3-metres.

Bedggood will join Connor in the individual platform event.

Synchronised teams need to finish top three to qualify for Rio next year, while the top 12 in the 3-metre and platform individual events will book places for their country at the Olympics.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please call Ross Solly 0400-114-790