Nikita Hains (17) of Dianella. Photo: David Baylis
Camera IconNikita Hains (17) of Dianella. Photo: David Baylis Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Dianella diver Nikita Hains opts out of Youth Olympics to focus on WACE exams

Kristie LimEastern Reporter

WORLD-class diver Nikita Hains, of Dianella, is determined to represent Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, despite opting out of this year’s Youth Olympic Games to focus on her WACE exams.

The Chisholm Catholic College Year 12 student finished fifth in the girls 16-18 years 10m platform and synchronised with Annarose Keating at her second FINA World Junior Diving Championships in Kiev, Ukraine, during July.

Her top eight placing helped her qualify for the Youth Olympic Games in November but she chose to withdraw and gave the opportunity to another Australian teammate. Hains (17), who has been training at the WA Institute of Sport since Year 1, said the world junior championships was her favourite competition.

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“The standard of diving is as good as the senior competitions or even better. It is just so good to compete against people my age – they’re going to be my competition in the future,” she said.

“I was not too happy with my synchronised because my partner and I only tried once before at one training session. I guess we performed well in the circumstances.

“But individual was definitely my best competition – I was very happy with that.”

With the goal of studying an undergraduate degree in biomedical science and post-graduate in medicine, the former gymnast said she decided to withdraw from the Youth Olympics because it clashed with her WACE exams.

Her long-term goal was to give the 2020 Tokyo Olympics a “good shot”.

“Jumping off a 10m (platform) is like an adrenalin rush – everyone thinks of it as crazy and it is something I could do, which makes it incredible,” she said.

“Depending on if I stay or go, I still want (Toyko) 2020 in my future.”