Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Anthony Corea

Making a (small) splash

10-year-old Kamloops diver returns home from nationals with 3 medals

Aug 22, 2024 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS – Philippe Wadsworth isn’t like most kids his age. Rather than hockey or soccer, the 10-year-old boy has found his passion in diving.

The Kamloops native recently returned from the Diving Canada Speedo Junior Development National Championships in Regina. Returning home with a gold medal in the one-metre event and placing third in the three-metre and five-metre events.

“On the one-metre dive, when I got a gold, I listened to my coach, and it was all on the last dive that I nailed it. Then I got first,” Philippe told CFJC Today.

Philippe is a part of the Kamloops Gymnastics and Trampoline Centre Diving Club, with Head Coach Neil Barrett teaching him and other divers who have joined.

Two and Out

PETERS: Conservatism used to be about lower taxes and smaller government, not conspiracy theories and racism

A few minutes ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Cutting carbon emissions can be easy and accessible to Kamloops residents

Oct 30, 2024

Question of the Week

Do you have confidence in the vote-counting carried out by Elections BC?

Oct 28, 2024

“We’ve gone from four athletes when I first started and now I think we have around 50. It’s nice to have athletes like Philippe in the program as well because we can see what the top end of diving looks like. The success he’s had is only going to look better for diving going forward in Kamloops,” said Barrett.

The coach sees plenty of potential in the young diver — not just with his physical talent but also his ability to learn quickly.

“He has a really good ability to make corrections. As coaches, you try your best to put your message across,” added Barrett. “Philippe has found a way to absorb that and make the correction come to life in his body.”

Philippe will finish the month off with a quick break before training starts back up in September.