Georgia Ward will have done everything bar dive competitively at the London Aquatics Centre come the end of the month – but she’s adamant her senior career is about to take off.
The 18-year-old, a member of Crystal Palace Diving Club, will watch on for the second time in less than two years as the world’s best divers descend on the Olympic Park – this time for the London leg of the 2014 World Series.
She will form part of the volunteering team as she returns to the London Aquatics Centre having been in the stands for two of the diving events held during the 2012 Olympics.
Ward has taken to the boards of the venue though – performing a series of dives as the London Aquatics Centre was officially opened at the start of March.
And Ward has vowed to soak up everything on offer during the London World Series leg before launching a qualifying assault for this summer’s Commonwealth Games.
“I am a full-time diver now having finished my education and I have to do different volunteering work for funding and this was a great opportunity,” said Ward.
“I have volunteered before but not on such a scale, I am excited about it and seeing all the divers competing in that environment. I love the venue; it has such a big diving facility.
“I went to watch two events at the Olympic Games and when it was opened to the public I was asked to dive, so I do know it quite well from that point of view.
“I am used to competing with the all the British guys and so it is really exciting to be able to watch them from a bit closer up this time, that should really help me.
“I am hopeful of diving with them at the Commonwealth Games and it would mean everything to get selected because it is such a big competition for England.
“I am in my second year as a senior and used to competing abroad and across Europe and to compete in such a high-level competition would be a great experience.”
Spinner: Georgia Ward won silver on the 3m springboard at this year's British Gas National Cup
Ward’s bid for Commonwealth Games selection will see her travel to Mexico and Puerto Rico next month before taking to the boards in Sheffield for the British Gas Diving Championships in June.
Concentrating on the 10m platform, Ward finished fourth at the British Gas National Cup at the start of the year and is confident she can put up a fight for Glasgow 2014 selection.
“I have two Grand Prix events in South America and then nationals. The 10m individual is my main event as I haven’t really got a 10m synchro partner,” she added.
“It all depends on how it goes at those. I have been working on my dives and my entries and I am still improving and have had no injuries so that bodes well.”
Tickets to see the world’s best divers at the FINA/NVC Diving World Series (25-27 April) are still available. Go to swimming.org/finadiving/tickets to get your seat at the London Aquatics Centre
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