MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. Through August 7, about 650 junior divers are competing at the Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park to advance to the world championship event in Rio de Janeiro in October.
President and CEO of Visit Mountaineer Country CVB, Susan Riddle, said it’s vital for our community to support the event by attending. Tickets are available for the entire event, day, or session through the final day of competition on Wednesday, August 7.
“We really need to show community support for these athletes,” Riddle said. “We’ve done a great job at the other events we’ve hosted, but those have happened during the school year.”
Those who purchase tickets will be able to see some of the most accomplished junior divers in the country. In addition to the top junior divers in the country, each day has a unique set of specials for the fans.
“It’s super intimidating to see how these young people make this look like a walk in the park; they make it look so easy,” Riddle said. “These are elite, highly competitive athletes that are a joy and pleasure to watch.”
Riddle said spectators will no doubt have a memorable experience watching potential future Olympians compete for the opportunity to advance to the world championship round of competition later this year.
“I’ve watched people set records, and I’ve watched people do their personal best,” Riddle said. “It’s electric when these individuals are competing.”
This is the largest USA diving competition that includes individual and group diving performances from a mix of high platforms and lower boards. With multiple age groups, the state-of-the-art facility will have non-stop action each day for local fans to see.
“This is the largest group the USA Diving Organization has as far as competing at any one time,” Riddle said. “We are thrilled to have them in our destination; this is a multi-million dollar impact on our community.”