Our stars
For more than 25 years, the Eindhoven Diving Cup (EDC) – held annually at the Pieter van den Hoogenband Swimming Stadium- has been a launchpad for diving talent. Numerous participants have showcased their skills there over the years. Not only does the tournament attract and inspire current stars from all over the world, but it has also witnessed the rise of athletes who have gone on to achieve greatness on international stages like the Olympics! At EDC we are proud to call them ‘our stars’.
Eindhoven diving cup Olympians
Olympians? At the Eindhoven Diving Cup? Yes, absolutely! The most recent example of a diver who competed at Olympic Games, is Else Guurtje Praasterink, a specialist in diving from the 10-metre platform. She trained with PSV Schoonspringen, competes in the EDC and other (inter)national championships. She currently studies and trains in the USA. In 2022 and 2024, she impressed with her dives at both the European and World championships. She subsequently qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics where she reached the finals. Watch Else explain her passion for diving in her video.
Constantin Blaha is a former diver from the Austrian national team who specialises in 1 m and 3 m springboard events such as the World Aquatics Championships and many other European championships. He represented Austria in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Other distinguished stars are Anne Vilde Tuxen and Helle Tuxen from Norway. The sisters competed in the 3m synchronised event at the Eindhoven Diving Cup many times. Anne represented Norway at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo 2021, competing in women’s 10 metre platform. Helle Tuxen’s journey through competitions such as the Eindhoven Diving Cup even culminated in her representing Norway at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Notable other examples of divers who gained international fame winning multiple European championship titles and competing in the Olympic Games, are Inge Jansen and Celine van Duijn. These Dutch divers’ early participation in events like the Eindhoven Diving Cup contributed to their development into world-class athletes until they retired from the sport in 2024.
And what about Irish divers Ciara McGing and Oliver Dingley? Their journeys to the Olympic stage demonstrate the Eindhoven Diving Cup’s importance as a springboard for international success. Ciara competed for Ireland at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the 10 metre platform. Oliver became the second diver in Irish history to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games, which was his ambition from a young age.
Adding to the legacy, former diver Nóra Barta from Hungary brought her diving skills to Eindhoven where she lived and trained with PSV Schoonspringen. She competed in the Eindhoven Diving Cup, of course, and won medals at many European championships. Nóra competed no less than 4 times in the Olympic games: in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. She reached the final and her best result on the 3 m springboard in Beijing in 2008
Diving & other sports
The Eindhoven Diving Cup has also been a platform for divers who transitioned into other sports or who decided to use their skills and dedication to the diving sport to train many aspiring divers.
Rebecca Koerner, for instance, won 22 Danish national diving championships across different heights. She claimed her last diving national title for Denmark in 2018. Five years later, she became a world-class road cyclist, representing her country at the UCI Road World Championships.
Yet another Olympian, Uschi Freitag, competed for Germany until 2012 and, from 2013, she represented the Netherlands. Uschi won no less than 15 German and 10 Dutch titles, won medals at the European championships and competed in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She also showcased her diving talent at the Eindhoven Diving Cup on several occasions. After stopping her diving career in 2017, Uschi decided to use her skill and dedication and went on to become Head of Diving for Sport Ireland Campus and trains many aspiring divers.
Michelle Heimberg, previously an artistic gymnast from Germany, switched to diving in 2012 after she had suffered an injury preventing her from practicing gymnastics ever again. Michelle’s big dream was always to take part in the Olympic Games one day. After various trial training sessions in different sports, she discovered diving. Michelle has been diving ever since and is proud to represent Switzerland at international level.
These stories exemplify the Eindhoven Diving Cup’s role in nurturing talent, providing a foundation for athletes to excel, whether they continue in diving, transition to coaching roles, or even venture into entirely new sports disciplines.
These stories exemplify the Eindhoven Diving Cup’s role in nurturing talent, providing a foundation for athletes to excel, whether they continue in diving, transition to coaching roles, or even venture into entirely new sports disciplines.
Our stars – an inspiration to all
Divers at the Eindhoven Diving Cup – past, present and future- do not only achieve incredible feats in the water but also inspire each other as well as new generations of divers. The Eindhoven Diving Cup continues to serve as a launching pad for both established names and rising stars, nurturing their talent and helping them pave the way to greater heights in the diving world.
The Eindhoven Diving Cup: a stage where diving talent from around the world continues to shine brightly.