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Metro diver makes waves
By Jeff Tejcek
jtejcek@mscd.edu

Photo by Jenn LeBlanc • jkerriga@mscd.edu Metro diver Chelsea Bates took first place Oct. 27 at the University of Denver in the 3-meter board event with a score of 231.15. Bates beat out four other teams including Division I rivals Air Force and University of Denver, despite cutting the back of her legs on the diving board while warming up for the meet.

Spinning through the air in the middle of a back one-and-a-half somersault dive, Metro diver Chelsea Bates came out and aimed for the water below. As she came down, she hit her legs and feet on the diving board.

“I had to put tape over them to keep them from bleeding and making a mess,” Bates said. “The rest of the meet I wanted to still complete, but that particular dive I didn’t want to do.”

Bates overcame her injuries and took first place on the 3-meter board, scoring 231.15 points at the meet Oct. 27 at the University of Denver to beat Division I rival DU by 11 points.

Third-year diving coach Kevin Sage admired Bates’ determination to continue after cutting open the backs of both of her legs. Warm-ups were paused for more than half an hour until Bates stopped bleeding.

“Everybody else around her was questioning whether she was going to dive and compete, let alone win,” Sage said. “She got up there and showed them what she’s made of.”

Bates has only hit the board twice in all her years of diving.

“It is a little embarrassing when you hit the board, because the other divers know what’s going on,” Bates said. “After that, I was kind of more determined because I was going against Division I teams, and I wanted to try and hold my own.”

The Metro women performed well in the final 200-yard freestyle relay, beating Air Force by a mere 0.02 seconds. Metro’s Division II status made the win over Division I Air Force all the sweeter.
Despite the small milestones, the Metro women’s team went 1-4 on the day overall, losing to all four teams competing at the meet besides host DU.

Men’s diver Ken Rhoades placed third with 244.95 points, and freshman Uriah High took ninth with a score of 155.95 points.

The Metro men finished 1-3 on the day, making waves against Colorado College while sinking to Colorado School of Mines, Air Force and DU.

Head coach Wynthrop Dyer was pleased with his team’s performance.

“To beat a Division I team in anything is outstanding,” Dyer said.

Bates said she looks forward to the team’s next meet Nov. 18 at the University of Northern Colorado. She hopes her injuries will have healed by then.

“They were a bit sore yesterday, and in the morning they were kind of stiff,” she said. “I can walk but it’s kind of aggravating”