After her record setting performance against Nazareth, junior diver Sara Spielman holds the title as best 3-meter diver in UR women’s history. Sara graciously took time to answer a few questions for the Campus Times.
What is your major?
Neuroscience
Do you have any pre-meet or pre-dive superstitions?
I like to listen to relaxing music right before a meet starts. Before each dive I try to envision myself doing it really well and sometimes practice my take-off right before it’s my turn.
How long have you been diving?
I joined a club team in seventh grade, but it feels like it’s been a lot longer. I was that one little kid at the pool who would make anyone around ratew my jumps and I’ve dived ever since I learned to swim.
Do you have a favorite dive or anything you’re working on?
I really like doing 5233d (back 1.5 with 1.5 twists).
Do you prefer the 1-meter diving event or the 3-meter?
Up until this year I liked 1-meter a lot more than 3-meter. I learned some new, fun dives at the beginning of this season on 3-meter and now like them both. It kind of depends on the day.
Was the school record on your mind during the meet against Nazareth?
Toward the end of the meet it was. At our meet the day before, against Ithaca, I was about 10 points off the record. I knew I was doing a lot better at the Nazareth meet after doing three or four of my dives. I tried not to think about it though and just focused on my next dive to do it as well as I could.
What are you more excited about: the school record or the provisional qualifying score for the NCAA Championships?
Both the record and the qualifying score are huge accomplishments for me. The old record was a 250 and the qualifying score was a 265 so I guess the qualifying score is more exciting.
Now that you have the school record, what are your individual goals for the season?
To have a chance to go to the NCAA Championship meet, I need to get the qualifying score twice, so I’d love to do that again. I’d also love to place well at our UAA Championship meet in February.
And your hopes for the team this season?
I think we have a great chance at doing really well at the UAA Championship meet this year. Everyone has been working so hard and I know a lot of the swimmers are close to getting qualifying times for the NCAA meet.
