Help needed for diving – Lyn

Yona Knight-Wisdom’s stunning Pan American Games success resonated across the country, has and the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) is eager to build on the foundations of his achievements by making sure that Jamaica’ recent fortunes in diving are sustainable.

In fact, according to President Martin Lyn, the association is actively looking at securing sponsorship for the Pan American Games silver medallist to further develop his career.

“We are moving ahead now specifically to find a way to sponsor Yona. Because since we have him, and he’s already at a high level and already achieving for Jamaica, some of what we are doing – setting up meetings with some sponsors, activities – they are geared at Yona,” he said in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner.

“We are spending a lot of energy and time towards making sure that Yona qualifies for the next Olympics and beyond.”

At present, Knight-Wisdom is managing the majority of his career out of pocket, and although he does get Olympic solidarity support, according to Lyn, there is still need for financial assistance for training, physiotherapy, and travelling for competition purposes. He has been heavily assisted and supported over the years by musician and businessman Levi Roots.

Central to the association’s plans to expand diving in the country is the desperate need for diving boards at the National Aquatic Centre, specifically a 1m and 3m diving board. Lyn is adamant that without the equipment, the association will not be able to attract potential young talent to develop future world-class divers.

“We don’t know if we have local talent because we don’t have the infrastructure to exploit this talent,” he said.

The equipment necessary consists of the board itself and the fulcrum to support it. For a 1m diving board, combined with the fulcrum, Lyn estimates the cost to be US$24,000.

“Essentially, that fulcrum is approximately US$12,000 and then the board itself. Because they are now so flexible and durable, that probably will be about US$12,000 as well. So in terms of one diving board and fulcrum, you are looking at about US$24,000. And then the 3m board now will be a little more because that’s obviously higher up, so we have to build a platform to get to the 3m board. So in terms of finance, I think the 3m board will be one and a half times the 1m board,” Lyn summarises.

RENOVATION NEEDED

In addition, he admits that the National Aquatic Centre will need some renovations.

“We are not able to promote diving locally even though we have a lot of talent locally. We also have people who remember when there were diving boards there, and certainly, we could put the personnel in place to coach diving and to encourage diving, and when young talent sees diving boards and sees diving happening, then of course it would be another opportunity for us to promote in terms of the aquatic discipline of diving,” Lyn said.

He hopes that by the end of August, those plans will be much more streamlined as Jamaica’s hectic sporting summer winds down.

Lyn is counting on three key stakeholders to assist with moving the needle for diving, which include the private sector, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), and the Ministry of Sport

Talks with the ministry and the JOA have been ongoing, but Lyn plans to put together a formal proposal to sell the vision for the sport and the association.

“(We want to say to the JOA that) as an Olympic sport, help us get diving sustainable. And I think that’s where we need to approach them,” Lyn said.

The key focus for Lyn now is to attain the required financial support so that Knight-Wisdom continues to fly the flag for diving in Jamaica.

“Our focus right now is to keep Yona diving for Jamaica at the highest level,” Lyn stated.