The Forest City Diving Club season ended with a bang! All nine Elite divers attended Nationals and placed within the top 12. FCDC earned seven medals overall, the second-highest standing of all diving clubs in Canada. Impressively, Joshua Inglis earned a spot on the National team and is representing Canada at the Junior Pan Am Games in September in Cuba.
Highlights of the season included an opportunity of a lifetime for Faith Zaharias. Nominated by the Canadian Olympic Committee, she received the torch from former Olympian Donovan Bailey during the opening ceremony of the Pan-Am Games. She set the torch at the front of the stage for the duration of the show. Faith’s role symbolized the continuity of sport throughout life and she is an inspiration to young athletes.
Brittany Haskell, who has been diving since the age of seven, is heading off to university. Like former FCDC alumni, she will continue her studies across the border on a full scholarship as a freshman for Florida International University.
While the Pan-Am games were in full swing in Toronto, coach Luda Zakharenko was in Kazan, Russia for the 16th FINA World Championship. Zakharenko, who was asked by Aquatics Canada to be the assistant to the Chef de Mission, assisted with the development and implementation of strategies and plans to ensure the efficient management of the Canadian Team mission.
FCDC would like to bid farewell to Ioana Marinescu. Ioana has been the Head Coach of FCDC for the past 12 years and has coached a number of our athletes to Provincial, National and International Championships. She is heading to Windsor to start up a new diving program, and we wish her all the best.
Diving is an elite sport that incorporates strength and flexibility while achieving precise entry into the water. As with any sport, there needs to be patience and dedication, but most importantly, enjoyment. Come observe the diving team in practice or sign up for a learn-to-dive class. Basic fundamental principles are learned and built upon, depending on the readiness of the diver and the discretion of the coach.
Check us out at www.forestcitydiving.com or follow us on Facebook.
