Gemma McArthur heads into the British Diving Championships, which begin in Plymouth on Friday, desperate to successfully defend the national title in the 10m platform event.
However, she she has an even greater goal next weekend; to secure selection for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. With less than three months until the Opening Ceremony in Gold Coast, the British Championships is the last event for Scottish divers to meet the criteria that is needed for selection for Team Scotland.
McArthur has already met the qualifying criteria but to put selection beyond doubt, she is keen to do it again at the British Championships. Her form throughout 2017 has left her full of confidence but she is trying her best not to think too much about what is riding in her performance at the competition next weekend.
“It’s obviously a big thing that this event will count towards Commonwealth Games selection but I just try to push that to the back of my mind and let my dives do the talking,” the 19-year-old said.
“I’m feeling really positive because in my last event of last year – the Scottish Championships – I got a personal best so I’m looking to carry that form forward. The most important thing next weekend is to get the Commonwealth Games consideration score - but if I can get the win too, that would be great.”
McArthur narrowly missed out on selection for Team Scotland for Glasgow 2014 and she admits that disappointment has driven her on over the past few years. But with the margin for error in diving so incredibly fine, she cannot afford to let herself be distracted by thoughts of qualification while she is competing.
“It would be massive for me to make the team – it’s my ultimate ambition to get to Gold Coast,” she said. “It is nerve-wracking knowing how fine the margins are but it feels a lot longer when you’re in the air compared to when you’re watching a dive, when it seems so quick. But when you’re doing it, it feels like you’re in slow motion so you feel like you have time.
"And I make sure that I think about a few points on each dive that I try to hit and I know that if I do that then the outcome will be good. That keeps me focused on what I need to be doing.”
McArthur grew up in Southampton but qualifies to represent Scotland through her father. However, the Scottish connection has been strengthened further in recent weeks, with the teenager relocating to Edinburgh to concentrate on her sport, and it is a move that is already paying dividends. “I’m training full-time now and it’s been great - I feel like I’m really able to buckle down and focus on my diving rather than combining training and working,” she said. “I feel that having more time to recover will help me so much in the long run. And I’m really enjoying living in Edinburgh - it’s a little bit cold for my liking but other than that, it's going great.”
McArthur will be joined at the British Championships by her fellow Gold Coast hopeful, James Heatly from Edinburgh.
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