With the opening of the new look Lake Talbot Water Park, former champion high diver John Sullivan recalled the days when the pool sported a 10m diving board.
Mr Sullivan is pictured as a seventeen-year-old in 1946 in an exhibition dive from the 10m tower with fellow diver Alex Scott into Lake Talbot pool at the Riverina swimming carnival.
As the shire’s oldest living competitive diver, Mr Sullivan used the one, three and 10 metre boards at the pool.
He held the South Western Districts Diving Championship, impressing judges with his full twists and somersaults.
“The water came through from the lake in those days and it was not exactly clear but swimmable.
“The pool had eight lanes unlike today’s six lanes.
“In this reconstruction there should have been eight lanes to hold swimming carnivals.”
Mr Sullivan continued diving during his army career and was an army champion before retiring from the sport while serving in the Korean War.
He may have qualified for the Olympics but war got in the road.
“It was a beautiful feeling going off the 10m tower – the Australian Olympic champion came down to Narrandera, Arthur Eve, and he was a great friend of mine.
“I never had a coach, just looked at pictures and copied other divers.”
