Close Window

Fearless Diver is a Rising Star

Acrophobia: a fear of heights. Most people would think jumping off a 10-meter platform into 18 feet of chlorinated water is terrifying.  Wouldn’t you?  That high up, one wrong move would make plummeting into water feel like smacking into concrete. Your palms would be sweaty, your heart racing, those butterflies in your stomach would appear even before you get to the top of the stairs…and looking over the edge?  Forget it.  This doesn’t ring true for 12-year-old Christopher Law, a fearless diver with exciting potential in the sport.

Twelve-year-old Christopher “Christo” Law is an up and coming star in the diving community.  The nephew of Coach Tommy Law, Christo is apart of the Alamo Area Aquatics Diving program and our San Antonio Sports Community Olympic Development Program.

In his age group, Christo has excelled tremendously.  His latest meet was in Midland, Texas for the USD Summer Regional Championships, where he won the platform event, the 3-meter event and came in second in the 1-meter event for his age group.  This meet will put Christo through to Zone Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee and then it is on to nationals in Los Angeles.
           
What surprises many people about Christo is that he has only been diving for three years. In that short time, he has managed to accomplish more than most divers his age who have been doing this their entire lives.  On a 10-point scale, Christo recently received an 8.5 for his front one-and-a-half pike on the 7-meter. A score that high could be considered “Olympic” for a basic dive.
           
Christo has been an encouragement to other divers and a great friend to everyone on the team.  He is always willing to take the advice of his coaches and continues to keep a positive, light-hearted attitude.  The dedication that it takes to be a diver can be tiring.  Practices from 9 o’clock in the morning to 5 in the afternoon are exhausting, but Christo’s love for the sport and dreams to one day make it to the Olympics have driven him to persevere.
           
When asked what it takes to be a diver, Christo replied, “It takes courage and the ability to try to do anything. If you’re just here to bounce around on the boards, you’re not going to cut it.”  Christo shows his courageous attitude everyday as he eagerly jumps off the 10-meter platform and “experiments” with new dives.  The 10-meter is the tallest platform on-site and it is a place many kids won’t dare to venture because of its frightening height.  “You have to play around a lot, at the right times of course. You have to experiment to come up with something great.”