Chloe Van Den Bosch only took up diving a year ago and already finds herself representing her state.
The nine-year-old Ocean Grover will represent Team Victoria at the School Sport Australia Diving Championships at the State Diving Centre in Ringwood next month.
Chloe trains twice a week in Geelong.
“I’m excited – not many kids get to represent Victoria,” the Year 4 Ocean Grove Primary School student said.
Chloe’s mother, Belinda, said she was looking for something for her daughter to do.
“I was looking for something different for her so I asked ‘do you want to try this?’,” Belinda said.
“A lot of the kids have gymnastics backgrounds.
“I don’t want her to hurt herself because a couple of times she’s come close to hitting her head.
“But the main thing is she just enjoys it. She’s only nine.”
Chloe also loves trampolining, which, she says, helps her diving.
Chloe said she knew she had picked up the sport when she started doing “proper dives instead of just jumping into the water”.
“Trampolining on Friday night at Supertramp helps,” Belinda said.
Chloe’s best dive is the inward dive.
“You stand at the end of the board, but jump backwards,” she said.
Chloe will compete on a one-metre platform, but also practices on a three-metre.
The championships will involve a full week of diving.
Participants are required to be at the diving centre every day from 8am to 5pm.
They will rent an Air B&B in Ringwood.
Chloe was excited when told of her selection.
“At the end of the last competition I came third and they called me up saying I’d qualified for Team Victoria,” she said.
Belinda Ocean Grove Primary had been supportive.
“A lot of my them (students) didn’t know she was selected until she was asked to get up at school assembly,” Belinda said.
