Latest news with #DubaiInternationalAquaticsChampionships
Otago Daily Times
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Students striving for solo success
This is part two of the Otago Secondary Schools Sports Association series profiling Otago students who compete in individual sports. In this edition, we highlight a new group of talented individuals, each with their own journey and motivation behind their success. Trinity Catholic College Izabella Luna Christofoletti (15) Sport: Jiu jitsu. Highlight: Training and competitions, including the King of the South regional competition. My highlight was fighting people taller or bigger than me and actually being able to beat them in the first fight and the final round. I have won two golds and two silvers in my last competitions and have been competing against bigger and taller people than me with better physical and technical strengths. Training: Monday to Thursday, sometimes Fridays if competition classes. Sporting dream: To become a professional. Motivation: To strive to be better at the sport and become a great fighter in the future. Blue Mountain College Dylan Rawcliffe (14) Sport: Speedway. Highlight: Winning my first title recently at Riverside Speedway in Invercargill. Training: It's more doing prep work on your car, which I do all myself, checking tyre pressure and set-up etc. Motivation: I grew up watching my dad do speedway, so I wanted to do it as well. I really want to go to the NZ Titles in Ashburton next year, so I need to be able to qualify. Dream: Going to America to race sprint cars in the International class. Logan Park High School Levi Milner (14) Sports: Athletics and volleyball. Highlight: Winning the 200m final at Otago championships in 2025. Training: I train with the Hill City Athletics Club. During athletics season I train 2-3 nights a week with the club. We have club night once a week and I have long jump and high jump training two other nights. I also play other sports, football and volleyball, and training for them also keeps me fit for athletics. Dream: To play volleyball at a professional level or to race at a national level for athletics. Motivation: Every time I lose, it makes me want to race more and more to get better — it's a challenge. Columba College Elizabeth Dearden (16) Sport: Diving. Highlight: Getting to compete internationally in the 2025 Dubai International Aquatics Championships against competitors from five other countries, including the Russian Olympic team, where I was able to place fifth and sixth in my events (1m and 3m springboard). Another highlight was winning three medals at the New Zealand championships this year, coming first in the 1m event, first in the mixed synchronised diving event with my longtime diving partner Archie Vorgers, and third in the 3m event. Training: My squad trains with two-hour pool sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, where we work on strength training, perfecting and maintaining skills, as well as learning more difficult dives. On Thursdays and Saturdays we have group weight training in the gym to strengthen our dives, as well as personal gym sessions on other days to work on individual skills. Dreams: To continue training and competing to the best of my ability, and to hopefully compete in more international competitions such as the World University Games. I would like diving to allow me to travel around the world, and connect with others who share my passion. Motivation: I am most motivated by the friends I have made in my squad who encourage me to be better, and have supported me through all the ups and downs of diving. I am also highly motivated by my aspirations of further international competitions where I can compete to a high standard, potentially even at the world junior competitions or the World University Games. Finally, I want to be a role model to the younger divers that I coach, and encourage them to do their best and see where diving can take them. Cromwell College Levi Casey (12) Sport: Squash. Highlight: Winning Oceania junior championships. Training: Three to five days of training a week (solo sessions). Dream: Play professionally and play in the top 10 in the world. Motivation: Watching Paul Coll from New Zealand play at all the big PSA events, seeing how much he's achieved and wondering if I could do the same. Mount Aspiring College Eva Small (15) Sport: Freeride skiing and mountain biking. Highlight: Competing at the freeride junior world championships earlier this year. Training: Participating in team sports really helps me to keep fit. I go for runs quite a bit because it helps me with both sports. Dream: To compete in the Freeride World Tour one day, competing with friends and travelling the world at the same time. For mountain biking, it would be really cool to go to the junior downhill world cup. Motivation: I love the challenge of freeride skiing. Each run is an opportunity to improve my skills, whether it's dialing in my technique or gaining confidence in tricks. In Wānaka, the community for mountain biking and skiing is so good. There are always people to push you, and I can still enjoy the sports without being too serious. Queen's High School Eve Kelleher (15) Sports: Triathlon, cross-country, athletics, cycling, duathlon. Highlight so far: Second place at the New Zealand secondary schools triathlon, competing in Nelson at the South Island secondary schools athletics with personal bests in 3000m (first), 2km steeplechase (third) and 4x400m relay (first) and finishing third in 1500m, and finishing fourth in the three-day Tour of Southland event. Training: Swimming three mornings a week, two netball trainings and a game, two running speed sets, a morning bike, an easy run and either a long ride or a cycling race on a Sunday. Dream: To some day represent New Zealand for triathlon and hopefully go to a world championships event, or maybe even the Olympics. I would love to train overseas when I am older. Motivation: I love training hard and competing. I want to do well and be the best I possibly can be in all the sports that I compete in. I know this requires hard work and dedication, but training with like-minded friends makes it enjoyable. My parents also encourage me and are always willing to travel all over New Zealand to help me achieve my sporting goals. My main inspiration is my cousin Anika Thompson. She represents Ireland in athletics and has just recently become the European under-23 champion in the 10km and came third in the 5km. Otago Boys' High School Henry Hodgson (16) Sports: Orienteering and triathlon. Highlight: Fourth in the New Zealand orienteering sprint distance championships. Training: I swim five times, bike three times and run three times per week. Dream: Getting selected for the New Zealand team for the junior world orienteering championship. Motivation: With orienteering, I am keen to explore new territory, always wanting to make no mistakes. With triathlon, I have to get up early to swim, and am motivated to do this by my determination to do well in all of my races. Jonty Smith (17) Sport: Golf. Highlight: Senior A pennants for Balmacewen B52s, captain of OBHS golf team. Training: Personalised golf training plan seven days a week. Dream: To be selected for US college golf or play for Otago at the interprovincial championships. Motivation: My motivation comes from the people who support me like my family and people around the golf club, and wanting to achieve my goals. Noah Kitto (16) Sport: Saloons racing. Highlight: Winning Zealand speedway competitor of the year. Training: Practice runs at Waldronville. Dream: Winning a national title in the streetstocks competition. Motivation: Being the best I possibly can be, and improving my results in each competition.
Hi Dubai
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Hi Dubai
Global Talent Dives In as Dubai International Aquatics Championships Begin
The Dubai International Aquatics Championships officially kick off their swimming competitions this Friday, 18th April, at the iconic Hamdan Sports Complex. Sanctioned by World Aquatics, the event doubles as a qualifying tournament for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, set to be held in Singapore from 11th July to 3rd August. Attracting over 1,500 swimmers from 90 clubs and academies across 40 countries, including elite Olympic athletes, the three-day competition promises high-level action and fierce rivalries across freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly events. Races span distances from 50m to 1500m, across junior, open, and masters divisions, catering to athletes aged 9 to 60. Part of the broader Dubai International Aquatics Championships — which also features diving, water polo, open water, and artistic swimming — the swimming contests reflect the city's growing stature in the global sports arena. The full championship has drawn over 2,200 athletes, making it one of the region's largest international aquatics events. Beyond the medals and records, the event plays a vital developmental role. It offers a platform for emerging swimmers, especially from the UAE, to test their skills against top-tier global competition. The mix of techniques, training philosophies, and international experience is expected to enrich the local aquatics scene and inspire the next generation of talent. As the action begins, all eyes turn to Dubai, where sporting excellence meets global ambition in the pool. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Hi Dubai
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Hi Dubai
Dubai Showcases Aquatic Excellence with Open Water and Water Polo Events at DIAC
The Dubai International Aquatics Championships (DIAC) continued to make waves with its open water swimming and water polo competitions, held on April 5 and 6 at the Hamdan Sports Complex. Part of the month-long aquatic showcase running from March 21 to April 20, 2025, these events were hosted in collaboration with the UAE Swimming Federation, Dubai Sports Council, and local academies. Drawing more than 380 athletes, the competitions spotlighted both endurance and team strategy in two of the sport's most demanding disciplines. The water polo tournament on April 5 featured teams from various countries, reflecting the sport's growing momentum across the region. The fast-paced matches highlighted skill and teamwork, drawing enthusiastic support from spectators. Following this, over 300 swimmers took to the waters for the open water races on April 5 and 6, braving long distances in tests of stamina and technique. DIAC, one of the Middle East's premier aquatics events, features five disciplines: diving, water polo, open water swimming, synchronised swimming, and swimming. With over 3,000 elite athletes from 40 countries participating, the championship serves as a global hub for aquatic sports talent. Abdullah Shahdad, Director of Hamdan Sports Complex, emphasised the importance of diversifying aquatic offerings. 'Hosting a full spectrum of disciplines, including open water swimming and water polo, reinforces our commitment to growing aquatic sports in the UAE and beyond,' he said. As the competition progresses, DIAC continues to cement Dubai's status as a leading international destination for world-class sports events. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Hi Dubai
13-03-2025
- Sport
- Hi Dubai
Dubai International Aquatics Championships 2025 to Host 3,000 Elite Athletes from 40 Nations
Dubai is set to make waves as it welcomes the world's top aquatic athletes for the Dubai International Aquatics Championships (DIAC) 2025. Scheduled from March 21 to April 20 at the Hamdan Sports Complex, this prestigious event will feature 3,000 elite competitors from 40 countries, reinforcing the emirate's status as a global sporting hub. Organized in collaboration with the UAE Swimming Federation and leading local academies, the championship will showcase five premier aquatic disciplines: Diving (March 21-23) Water Polo (April 5) Open Water Swimming (April 5-6) Synchronised Swimming (April 12-13) Swimming (April 18-20) This annual competition has grown into a landmark event in the international aquatics calendar, attracting world-class talent and fostering a culturally diverse atmosphere. The Hamdan Sports Complex, renowned for its state-of-the-art facilities, will provide an ideal venue for high-stakes competition across all categories. With a mix of adrenaline-fueled races, precision performances, and team events, DIAC 2025 promises an electrifying experience for athletes and spectators alike. As Dubai continues to strengthen its position in the global sports arena, this championship underscores the city's commitment to promoting aquatic sports and fostering international athletic excellence. News Source: Emirates News Agency
