Hoffman, Niday, Owens Win Gold on Day Two of 2023 Junior Nationals

MISSION VIEJO, California – Amir Owens and ElliReese Niday each won a second title and Sophia Hoffman also won gold as the 2023 USA Diving TYR Junior National Championships continued Monday in Mission Viejo, California.

Owens (Montgomery Dive Club) won the 11-and-under boys’ 3-meter title a day after winning gold on platform. Niday (Moss Farms Diving) took gold on platform in the 11-and-under girls’ age group after winning the 3-meter title on Sunday. Hoffman (Knight Diving) won the 12-13 girls’ 1-meter gold medal.

Owens scored 220.30 points to edge Owen Stebbins of the Los Angeles Dive Club by 1.20 points for the 3-meter gold. Owens’ Montgomery Dive Club teammate Noah Lieberman finished with 198.95 points for third on 3-meter after taking silver on platform on Sunday.

Niday, who swept the girls’ 11-and-under age group at last year’s junior nationals, scored 228.50 points on platform to win her second gold at the 2023 championships. Katherine Mo of McCormick Divers won her second silver medal of the week with 173.45 points on platform, and Sawyer Watts of the Mission Viejo Nadadores finished third with 170.55 points.

Hoffman scored 297.75 points to win the 12-13 1-meter title by 1.65 points over Ella Guo of Arrow Dive Club. Memphis Watts of the Mission Viejo Nadadores finished third at 285.25.

The USA Diving TYR Junior National Championships continue through August 1. Tuesday’s competition features the 11-and-under boys on 1-meter, the 12-13 girls on platform and the 12-13 boys on 3-meter. In all, 28 junior national champions will be crowned throughout the competition.