With 11 divers making the trip to Antalya, Turkey, for this year’s European Aquatics Diving Championships (22–28 May), the British diving team heads into the competition with a clear strategy: nurturing the next generation while maintaining a foothold at the top of the continental pecking order. Youth is at the heart of the 2025 British squad – a blend of promising newcomers and returning medallists, with a long-term view towards the Los Angeles 2028 and even Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
Antalya 2025: The First Big Test for a Promising Generation
Among the selected 11 athletes, three are poised to make their first senior international appearance: Hannah Newbrook (London Performance Centre), Noah Penman (Aberdeen Diving Club), and Robbie Wood (Sheffield Performance Centre). All three have made waves on the junior international circuit recently, and now get their chance to step onto the senior stage.
Their inclusion signals a deliberate effort by British selectors to give meaningful experience to emerging talents, in a competitive environment that is as much about development as it is about results. Antalya offers these athletes the perfect launchpad to acclimatise to senior-level competition – with the guidance of more seasoned teammates by their side.
Champions Return to Defend Their Titles
The youth movement is not limited to the debutants. Returning to defend their European titles are Desharne Bent-Ashmeil, Amy Rollinson, Ben Cutmore, and Robbie Lee – all born in the early 2000s, and all still very much in the early stages of their senior careers. Last year, the quartet dominated the podium: Bent-Ashmeil claimed triple gold across the 3m springboard events, winning in synchro alongside both Rollinson and Cutmore, while Lee triumphed in the 10m platform. Their presence adds a vital layer of continuity and class to the squad. As proven competitors, they now carry added responsibility: not only to chase medals again in Antalya, but also to help usher in the next wave of British talent.
Experience Anchors a Transitional Team
While the focus is undoubtedly on youth, several familiar names bring depth and maturity to the setup. Kyle Kothari, a finalist in the Men’s 10m Platform at the Paris 2024 Olympics, returns to international competition with an eye on synchronised events this season. Matthew Dixon, with many successes in recent years at european championships and the commonwealth games, also brings invaluable experience.
Completing the line-up are Leon Baker and Hugo Thomas, both of whom featured at last year’s Europeans in Rome. Baker recently underlined his upward trajectory with a gold at the prestigious Dresden meet, and both are seen as key pillars of this transitional phase.
With 13 European titles up for grabs across seven days, the competition will be intense. Ukraine, Italy, Germany and Spain are all expected to field strong squads, a reminder of the increasing depth and competitiveness of diving across the continent.
But Britain arrives in Antalya buoyed by its 2024 success, when it topped the overall medal table. The primary objective this time around is broader: rather than focusing solely on retaining titles, it’s about establishing a refreshed and ambitious squad capable of growing through the Olympic cycle. Giving young divers the platform to shine, to learn, and to lay the foundations for podium success in years to come is the true target of this championship.
British Team for the 2025 European Diving Championships :
- Leon Baker – Sheffield Performance Centre
- Desharne Bent-Ashmeil – London Performance Centre
- Ben Cutmore – London Performance Centre
- Matthew Dixon – London Performance Centre
- Kyle Kothari – London Performance Centre
- Robbie Lee – London Performance Centre
- Hannah Newbrook – London Performance Centre
- Noah Penman – Aberdeen Diving Club
- Amy Rollinson – London Performance Centre
- Hugo Thomas – London Performance Centre
- Robbie Wood – Sheffield Performance Centre
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