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A national champ

Dave Lawrenson
15/11/2007

DOMINIK Cook is diving head first into his sporting passion – and medal wins are coming thick and fast.

The 12-year-old from Worsley added to his medal collection by retaining his Great Britain Diving Federation National Intermediate Championships title in Bedford recently.

He defeated his Manchester Aquatics Dive Team rival Liam Dooley into second place and has been hailed a natural talent by his proud dad John.

“Dominik took up diving three-and-a-half years ago and he was a natural right from the start,” John Cook said. “He has been in the Manchester Aquatics Dive Team for about three years and he is improving all of the time.

“He trains three times a week and absolutely loves it. He wants to go as far as he can in the sport and winning gold medals in the last two GBDF championships is definitely his biggest achievement to date.

“There were nine clubs competing this year. Dominik had to do six dives in the 12 to 13-year age group and he did really well to come out on top again. I’m very proud of him.”

Dominik attends St George’s Catholic High School in Walkden and is as cool as a cucumber while competing – unlike his dad.

John said: “There is a lot of pressure in diving competitions as it all comes down to how you do on the day. That doesn’t seem to bother Dominik. He just gets on with it while I’m a bag of nerves watching him, worrying that he will slip and fall in.

“It’s just a shame that he can’t train closer to home as, unfortunately, there are absolutely no diving boards in Salford.”