Anna Rusbatch

Date of Birth:   31st October 1980

Coach:  Adrian Hinchliffe

Club: City of Leeds Diving Club

Main Board:  10 metre platform

Favourite Dive:  Back armstand double somersault piked (624B) 10m

Anna started diving in 1988, when she had lessons at Eccleshill Pool, Bradford with Andy Banks.  Seemed like the natural progression and ideal combination of gymnastics and swimming.

Anna moved to Leeds in 1989 and was coached by Julian Bellan with whom she won her first national gold medal on 5m platform in 1991 as a Group D (10/11 years) diver.

In 1993 Adrian Hinchliffe became Senior Diving Coach in Leeds and Anna's coach.  Anna was first selected to represent Great Britain when she wone Age Group Nationals 1994 on 3m and qualified for Junior Europeans in Pardubice, Czech Republic.  With Ady, Anna won many national titles and represented Great Britain as a junior and as a senior diver.  Unfortunately her diving career was plagued with injury and eventually forced her to retire.  However Anna has chose to remain within the sport by coaching the Development Squad at City of Leeds Diving Club. 

Best Achievement:  1996, Edinburgh, Age Group Nationals, Group A Highboard, Anna came 1st and achieved Olympic qualifying points with 8 dives scoroing 368.80 aged 15.

Biggest downfall:  When representing Great Britain at the British Grand Prix in Edinburgh in 1999, Anna's shoulder dislocated whilst throwing for the somersault during 405c (Inward 2½ somersaults) on 10m during her final dive of the semi-finals.  After hitting the water, Anna managed to reposition her shoulder and swim to the surface.

Most surprising comeback:  Four weeks later following her injury in Edinburgh, Anna was determined to compete at the Senior National Championships in Sheffield.  After much debating with Ady, her coach, Anna decided to dive 10m and substitute 405c for another dive.  She dived, scored a PB and achieved Olympic qualifying points, much to everyone's disbelief!  Following that competition it was thought best to stop diving as Ady and many other people had had enough heart attacks!

Anna's favourite ways of relaxing are playing the piano, listening to music and spending time with friends.

Internationals
1994  Junior Europeans, Pardubice, Czech Republic
1995  GB Junior Team, Waldkraiburg, Germany
1996  Six Nations, Belluno, Italy
1998  Junior Europeans, Brasschaat, Belgium
1999  British Grand Prix, Edinburgh, Scotland

Age Group Nationals
1991  1m - 2nd, 5m - 1st
1994  3m - 1st
1995  1m - 2nd, 3m - 3rd
1996  1m - 1st, 3m - 3rd, Highboard - 1st
1998  3m - 2nd, Highboard - 2nd

Senior Nationals
1995  Junior Highboard - 2nd, Junior 3m - 1st, Senior 3m - 4th
         Junior Highboard Synchro with Amanda Page - 1st
1998  10m Synchro with Sally Freeman - 1st
1999  10m Synchro with Sally Freeman - 1st