Tonia Couch facts for kids
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| Full name | Tonia Couch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | British | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 May 1989 Plymouth, Devon, England |
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| Occupation | Diving coach | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 166cm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 58 kg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Plymouth Diving | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Andy Banks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Tonia Couch (born 20 May 1989) is a former British Olympic diver. She competed for Great Britain in many international events, including three Olympic Games.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Tonia Couch was born in Plymouth, England. Before she started diving, she was a talented gymnast. In September 1999, she tried diving for the first time. Just four weeks later, she won her very first competition!
In February 2002, Tonia made history. She became the youngest girl ever to join the Junior Olympic Programme. This special program helps young athletes train for the Olympics. It was clear then that Tonia had a special talent for platform diving.
International Competitions
Tonia started competing in major international events. She took part in the World Championships in 2005 and 2007.
In 2008, Tonia finished eighth at the Olympics. This was a fantastic result for a British female diver in 20 years! It showed everyone she was a top athlete. She also finished eighth at the World Championships in 2009.
Tonia competed at her second Commonwealth Games in 2010 in Delhi. There, she teamed up with Sarah Barrow for the 10-meter synchronized diving event. They finished in fourth place.
Partnering with Sarah Barrow
Tonia and Sarah Barrow became a strong team. In 2011, Tonia finished ninth in the 10-meter platform at the World Championships. With Sarah, they finished fourth in the synchronized event.
The duo had a great year in 2012. They won a gold medal at the European Championships. They also earned a bronze medal at the World Cup. At the London 2012 Olympics, they finished fifth in front of their home crowd.
In 2013, Tonia won the British 10-meter platform title again. She also competed in her fifth World Championships. She finished ninth in the 10-meter platform and fifth with Sarah in the synchronized event.
In 2014, Tonia and Sarah won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. This was a big achievement for the pair.
Later Career and Retirement
In 2015, Tonia had a very successful year in the Diving World Series. She won four bronze medals in the 10-meter platform event. This helped her win the overall title of Diving World Series champion for the 10-meter platform! She and Sarah Barrow also won two bronze and one silver medal in the synchronized event.
Tonia continued to compete at the highest level. In April 2016, she won a silver medal at the Diving World Series in Kazan.
At the Rio Olympics in 2016, Tonia teamed up with Lois Toulson. They finished fifth in the synchronized 10-meter platform. Tonia also competed in the individual 10-meter platform, reaching the finals and finishing 12th.
Tonia continued to compete with Lois Toulson in 2017. They finished fifth in several Diving World Series events.
After a long and successful career, Tonia Couch retired from diving. She received a special award at the British Diving Championships in January 2018. She has also worked as a diving expert for the BBC during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
See also
In Spanish: Tonia Couch para niños
