LEON Watts struck gold as a seven-strong team from Poole-based Wessex Diving Club got among the medals at the Gavin Brown Love to Dive competition in Southampton.

Watts, 16, won the boys’ 14-18yrs springboard competition with 168.00 points – the highest score of the day in any age group – with younger team-mate Ryan Dewey collecting the bronze on 126.40.

Wessex’s Kathryn Lawrence, 14, pipped 16-year-old team-mate Sian Davies to the bronze medal by the slimmest margin as they came third and fourth in the girls’ 14-18yrs springboard with scores of 140.50 and 140.45.

Davies was also awarded a medal for her fourth place.

Kai Poxon won the fifth-place medal in the boys’ 10-11yrs boys’ springboard with a score of 119.80.

Renata Feilla came 10th in the 12-13yrs category (106.75).

Ten-year-old Caitlin Hodges held her nerve in her first big event to achieve more than 100 points. She came 19th in the 10-11yrs girls’ competition with a score 102.30.

Overall Wessex DC were fourth out of seven competing clubs at a meet held in memory of international diver Gavin Brown, who was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident in Southampton in 2007, aged 22.

Wessex coaches Pete Morris and Beth Stannard said: “We are very pleased and proud of the level achieved by the whole team.

“This competition is well-organised and great fun and Wessex look forward to being involved again next year, giving more divers a chance to compete in their first big event.”