Karla Helder Sets Two World Records At Master's Diving Championships

Helder won two gold medals at the event in Perth, Western Australia

Karla Helder

BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo diving coach Karla Helder, who just finished her fourth season with the Bulls, won two gold medals and set two world records at the 2008 FINA World Master's Diving Championships. Helder, who was in the 50-54 year old age group, won both the one-meter and three-meter competition.

In the one-meter competition, Helder set a FINA world record with her 228.30 points on five dives. Her total defeated Valerie Ryan, who finished in second place with 194.85 points. Helder also set a world record in the three-meter dive as her five-dive total of 246.40 defeated Ryan, who finished with a 163.95 on the three-meter board.

Helder has set world records prior to this event as she holds the one-meter world record in the 45-49 year old age group, which she set in 2006. Helder also holds the 2002 world records in the one and three-meter dives, but that was during the old format where divers had nine dives as opposed to now when they have just five. Helder already has numerous Master's USAD national records as she set the 35-39 year old age mark record in 1994 and in 1999 she set a national record in the 40-44 year old age group. Both of those were records in the one-meter and three-meter boards. Helder also secured a national record in 2001 at the Grand Masters in the 45-49 year old age group.

Helder has done an outstanding job so far in her four seasons at UB. This past season, she sent two divers to the NCAA Championships. On the men's side, Michael McDowell (Rush, NY/Rush Henrietta) was a second-team All-MAC selection where his performance at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships secured him a berth in the NCAA Championships. On the women's side, Meili Carpenter (Boulder, CO/Fairview) was also a second-team All-MAC selection and she also competed in the NCAA Championships after her performance at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships.

2008 Gold Medals

"It has been a great year for diving here at UB," said Helder. "Watching Mike and Meili make it to the NCAA Championships was an outstanding accomplishment. Being able to see their mind set and their dedication to diving has made me a better diver, and it no doubt helped me achieve these medals and world records at the World Master's Diving Championships."

Helder works closely with her divers, especially McDowell who helped coach her to make sure she was ready mentally and physically when this event came around.

"Mike was outstanding in helping me prepare for this competition," said Helder. "He taught me some dives that I didn't even know that I could do. I was out there training with the divers this year and it was a great feeling to get back out there and compete."

This summer, Helder will again compete in the Grand Masters, hoping to set a few more records along the way.

05/20/2008