Team Ireland has selected their two divers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games this summer with one female diver included – a first for the team.
Tanya Watson qualified for the Women’s 10m platform and will be one half of the Irish Olympic diving team.
Rio 2016 finalist Ollie Dingley will be going to his second Olympic games and will compete in the Men’s Springboard 3m event.
“Firstly, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who made this possible. It’s a real privilege to represent Ireland at my second Olympic Games,” said Dingley.
“I feel very lucky that we can get to go and compete at the Olympics after what has been a very uncertain time for everybody.
“This will be my third competition in over two years, and I really just can’t wait to get out there and compete and do my best.”
19-year-old Tanya Watson will be looking forward to this summer’s Olympics too.
The Southampton-born diver qualified after getting into the Top 18 of the FINA Diving World Cup in Tokyo.
Team Ireland has also made history by sending more than one diver to the Olympics for the first time, according to Swim Ireland Performance Director John Rudd.
“We’re all thrilled to see this talented team of two selected to compete in diving at the Games, particularly as this is the very first time we’ve ever fielded more than one diver at an Olympics – as well as Tanya having the honour of being our first-ever female Olympic diver….we can look forward to some exciting days of competition in the Olympic weeks ahead,” said Rudd.
Tanya progressed from Ireland’s Youth Olympic team of 2018 and has added more great performances and accolades to her name since reaching the final in Buenos Aires.
28-year-old Ollie Dingley has a notable amount of accolades too, including the Irish record for the 1m and 3m Springboard.
Team Ireland Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020, Tricia Heberle, is excited to see the divers in action.
Heberle said: “We know it has been a challenging qualifying pathway and we are very excited to support them both.”
