A GOLD and silver medallist at the Australian Junior elite titles, Bendigo teenager Bree Mellberg will dive against the world’s junior stars later this year.After taking up competitive diving just two years ago, Mellberg has qualified to represent Australia at the 17th FINA world junior diving championships.The young guns will compete in Aachen, Germany, from September 16 to 21.Mellberg, 18, finished second off the 10m platform and won in the 3m synchro with Olivia Wright at the weekend’s Australian junior elite diving titles at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.In the 10m platform, Mellberg achieved a score of 417. Qualifying mark for the junior worlds was 360.After hundreds of hours training, the diving ace “nailed’’ an inward 2 1/2 somersault on her final dive to be runner-up in the platform.“The pressure was on leading into my final dive,’’ Mellberg said of the platform final.“The girl before me had scored really well on a difficult dive.’’After nine dives - four required elements and five of varying degrees of difficulty - the Bendigo YM Diving Club member had surpassed her previous best by 50 points.Now coached by Peter Panayi, a five-time Olympic coach, Mellberg said training was not just about twists, turns and pikes, but mental toughness.“The dives off the platform can be really difficult and take a while to learn,’’ she said.“Peter [Panayi] has really helped improve my technique and not be so overawed by the difficulty of the dive.“I was nervous, but also excited about competing against so many talented divers.’’The early starts for 1sfr1/2 hour training sessions and then afternoon workouts in the water, often lasting two or three hours, show Mellberg’s dedication to improve and succeed.Although she qualified for the 1m, 3m and platform for the world titles, Mellberg’s sole focus will be on the 10m platform in Germany.It’s been a meteoric rise since Mellberg joined the Heather Tyter-coached Bendigo YM Diving squad.The talented teenager has had plenty of support from her parents, Jennie and Leigh, and brother, Cailin.In recent years Mellberg has crisscrossed the country to compete at various meets. The support from Andrew Zegelin and the team at Travelcentre Bendigo and Peter Baker Barrister and Solicitor has helped pursue her goals.Mellberg gains plenty of inspiration from Olympic champion Chantelle Newbery, nee Michell, who first dived in Bendigo and is now preparing for a third Olympics campaign.