ECHUCA’S Luke Hubbard capped a medal-winning spree by being named the Australian Diver of the Year for the 16-18 age group at the Age Nationals held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.Hubbard, 16, led the medal-winning run by the Bendigo YM Divers squad of seven against many larger teams.By the end of the championships, the Heather Tyter-coached Bendigo YM Divers were seventh in team standings, the highest placing by a non-metropolitan club.Hubbard won gold in the platform and 3m finals for 16-18 years, and bronze in 1m.At the previous year’s Age Nationals, Hubbard was third in the platform final, and fourth in the 3m duel.Hubbard had been competing in diving for just on four months when he lined up against the sport’s rising stars at the 2008 Age Nationals.“I learnt a lot from last year’s competition,’’ Hubbard said.Many hours of training at the Bendigo Aquatic Centre, and the dryland training facility at the Mundy Street YMCA were rewarded.Hubbard said a highlight was achieving a personal best score of 272 in the plaform final.“I aimed to be consistent with every dive, but also hoped for high scores with the more difficult, twisting dives.’’A highlight of Hubbard’s campaign was the backward 2½ tuck in the three-metre event.“To be named Diver of the Year for my age group meant a lot to me,’’ Hubbard said.“I was shocked when it was first announced,’’ said the Year 11 student from Echuca Secondary College.He said the support from his parents, Karen and Brian, coach Heather Tyter and all involved with Bendigo YM Divers had played a big part in his success in the sport.Long-time diving coach, Heather Tyter was rapt with the performances of the Bendigo YM squad.Two of the club’s youngster members, Spencer Smagas and Bronte Boyles won bronze in the 1m finals for the 11-under age group.“Bronze’s bronze was well earned. She held her number two Victoria position in the large line-up that included 11 other divers from Victoria,’’ said Tyter.“Her final dive was the second-highest scoring dive in that competition.“Spencer impressed the judges with his excellent form.’’Haylee Wellard was fifth of the Victorian team in the 16-18 years 1m final.“Emily Jones faced strong competiton in the 12-13 years division, but reached qualifying scores on three-metre and platform.’’A great run by Jones included being sixth Victorian at 1m, third Victorian on platform, and 5th Victorian on the 3m board.Smagas was fourth at platform and fifth at the three-metre.“In the 11-under class, Daniel Stubs achieved a personal best at 3m to be fourth and missed a bronze medal by a mere four points.’’ Stubs was sixth in the one-metre final.Nathan Oxenham competed in the same age group and was fifth at 1m, and seventh at 3m.Hubbard and Wellard, pictured at right, teamed up to win a bronze medal in the 14-over mixed 3m synchro final.Smagas and Stubs were sixth in the 13-under boys’ and mixed 1m synchro final.Jones and Boyles teamed up in the 13-under girls’ 1m synchro, while Oxenham teamed with a similar-aged diver from South Australia to be seventh in synchro.