SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DIVING
HALL OF FAME
1940’s
Arthur Sampson [1920 – 1970]
Arthur was State Champion several times, and won bronze on 10 metre at the 1938 Australian Championships. He is mainly be remembered for giving more than 20 years service as Diving Delegate to the Australian Swimming Union.
Val Payne [1938 – 1947]
Val, a 10 times State Champion, finished her career by winning the platform event at the 1946 Australian Championships.
1950’s
Tom Herriman [1920 – 1974]
Tom not only won numerous State Diving Championships, but also in swimming at Australian level, he won the bronze on platform in 1947. He was also Secretary for Swimming and Diving for 38 years and was awarded DSA life membership in the 90’s.
Ivy Datseres [1947 – 1984]
Ivy won Australian Championships as a Victorian in her younger years and first represented SA in 1974 finishing 7th, and in her later years won several World Masters titles.
1960’s
Robert Muir [1967 – 1969]
Whilst only diving for a short time, Robert a full aboriginal was spectacular in white bathers, as well as white palms and soles of his feet, that gave the illusion of stars flickering as he somersaulted in all directions. He won several State titles as a junior, and represented SA at Australian level in 1967.
Daryl Hocking [1961 – still going very strongly!]
Daryl won over 30 State titles, including a bronze and silver in 1968/69 at Open Australian Championships, as well as 21 Australian Master titles, including Gold, Silver & Bronze at the 1989 World Masters Championships. Daryl has been State Secretary, State President, Australian Coaches Association Secretary, and Australian Coach, numerous times, and involved in Competition Management at State, Australian, World and Olympic level and is at present the National Development Manager for Diving Australia. Daryl is a Life Member of DSA and Daryl and Sue Lewis are known all over Australia as Mr & Mrs Diving. Following the nomination by DSA, Daryl was deservedly awarded Life Membership of Diving Australia at the 2004 AGM.
1970’s
Carol Boots
Carol won numerous State and Australian Titles, and represented Australia at International level, including the 1982 Commonwealth Games. Carol has been a Coach, Judge and administrator at all levels, and was included in the Australian Institute of Sport in the 70’s.
John Templer
John won 24 State Titles and 3 Australian titles at junior level and finished in the top 12 at the 1977 World Juniors in Texas USA.
1980’s
Emma Lewis
A 20 times State Champion, as well as Australian Junior Champion, Emma went on to win Gold at the Hong Kong International in 1984. Although retiring from competitive diving as we know it, Emma went on to dive in International Dive Shows throughout the world for many years after.
Gavin Hocking
With over 30 State titles and several Australian titles to his credit, Gavin’s claim to fame must surely come from the fact that he has dived in 29 countries in the world, with his famous fire dive, and his twisting somersaults from 20 metres, into only 3 metres of water. Gavin was invited to the famous French Riviera Festival, to dive from a crane, into the bay, witnessed by thousands including royalty.
Liza Alpers
Many State and Australian titles to her credit, but remembered for her bronze at the USA Junior Olympics, scoring a ten for her inward one & half.
Simon McCormack
20 times State holder, and over 20 Australian titles, Simon represented Australia at Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games, & Worlds including his now famous win in the Can-Am-Mex series, in Fort Lauderdale, USA, beating the current World & Olympic Champions.
1990’s
Michelle Stringer
Michelle won Numerous State & National titles, as well as International finalist & medallist, including Gold in The Southern Cross International.
Scott Weeks
Scott was a member of the Australian team for over three years, competed at USA, Hungarian and Austrian Grand Prix, and highlighted by coming 9th on 10m at the 1999 World Championships at Perth, as well as 6th on 10m synchro. Sadly an eye injury cut Scott’s career short.
Shannon Roy
From 1997 – 2002 Shannon competed in numerous State, National & International events, including Southern Cross, Can-Am-Mex, USA & Canadian Grand Prix, Commonwealth Games and World Championships. Shannon won Bronze in the 3m synchro at the 1998 World Championships, Silver in the same event at the 1997 FINA World Cup in Mexico, and Gold in the 3m at the 1998 Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur. After coaching in the USA, Shannon returned to DSA, as TI squad coach, and has since moved on to Scotland, as National TI squad coach.
Tim Hansford
Between 1992 and 1998 Tim was frequently State Age Champion, and was National Champion, Boys 14 – 15 years, on 3m and 1m, and multiple National Silver & Bronze medallist.
Katie Beare
National Age Champion springboard, (11 years and under,) Katie was many times State Champion and specialised in Platform at Open level. Katie was the first SA female diver to perform 107B on 10m. In 14 – 15 years age group Katie came 2nd in Platform at Nationals, in front of 3rd place Chantelle Michelle, (now Newbery,) who went on to become Olympic Champion in 2004.
Brooke Leach
National Age Gold Medallist, 12 – 13 years & multiple State Age Champion.
Lynda Folauhola
Lynda switched from gymnastics to diving in 1992 and was a SASI Scholarship holder until moving to the AIS in 2001. As well as wining National Championships, Lynda won numerous Gold, Silver and Bronze medals on 3m, 10m, and 10m synchro at Grand Prix competitions, in Mexico, USA, Canada, China, and Italy. Lynda was selected for the 1998 Commonwealth Games where she came 5th, and in1999 won the Bank SA Junior Sports Award.
Robert Newbery
Undoubtedly the most talented and achieving male diver South Australia has ever produced! Awarded a scholarship to the AIS in 1997, when his coach Chen Wen left Adelaide to take up an AIS coaching position, Robert went on to achieve even more than Gold Medals. Robert was the first SA diver to complete numerous dives, including a back 3.5 somersault tuck, and pike, and a reverse 3.5 somersault tuck, all from 10m, as well as an armstand triple somersault tuck, and pike, an armstand, back triple somersault tuck. Robert was also the first Australian to perform a forward 4.5 sumersault. In 1999 Robert scored seven perfect tens for his reverse 3.5 somersault in tuck position in the Foxsports Cup in Adelaide. In 2001 Robert was awarded the prestigious ‘Icarus Award’ by Diving USA for his outstanding 3m performance at the USA Grand Prix, an honour only two other divers, Demitri Sautin, of Russia, & China’s Tian Liang have had bestowed Robert was the only diver to compete in all four events at the 2004 Olympics, where he won bronze, and his wife, Chantelle, won the first Australian Diving Olympic Gold Medal since the 1920’s. Other highlights include Silver at the 2001 Brisbane Goodwill Games, Gold at the USA Grand Prix in 2001, Gold at the 2002 Canadian Grand Prix, and Bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. No Australian diver has won as many Olympic medals as Robert. Robert and Chantelle appeared on a celebrity charity episode of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” and they won $32,000 for the Brisbane Hospital at which their son Jet was born. Robert is currently in Brisbane studying medicine.
Valerie Beddoe
No one has contributed more to Diving in South Australia, in so many diverse roles, than Val Beddoe. Formerly Manager, Sportsplan, at SASI, Val has been an outstanding diver, coach, official, selector, administrator and team manager. Val is a life member of both Diving Australia and DSA and was awarded a Member Of Order Of Australia for services to Diving. Between 1978 and 1986 Val was the most successful male or female diver winning over 40 Open National Titles, and was the first Australian diver to win all 3 Age, (16 – 18 years,) and Open boards at the same Nationals, a feat which even now has been equalled only once, by Olympic Champion Chantelle Newbery (nee Michelle.) In 1979 Val became the first Australian diver ever to win an Open Level Gold Medal, on 3m at the World Championships, in USA, and she later won two more. Val competed at three Commonwealth Games, (1978, 82, 86,) and won Gold, Silver and 2 Bronze and is a dual Olympian (Moscow & Los Angeles.) Winner of FINA award for highest placed athlete, combined springboard and platform at the Olympics, Val has been Victorian, Queensland, and Australian Sportswoman of the year. Val organised and took a group of 12 SA Junior Divers on a world first training camp to Beijing, China, in 1993, to train with the Beijing elite team, and recruited the second Chinese elite coach, Mr Chen Wen to Adelaide. Val was an Australian selector for ten years, and Manager of the Diving Team at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
