Goodyear divers earn second place at international competition

Eight divers from the YMCA Silver Fins in Goodyear represented the United States at the 12th Ulla-Klinger Cup in Aachen, Germany, earning a second-place team finish against competitors from around the world.

The event featured divers from eight countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Ukraine. The Silver Fins, whose team members range in age from 11 to 15, won 13 medals in total.

Among the top performances were Levi Berlyn, 11, and Haskell Fagan, 11, both AAU National Synchro Champions. The pair earned podium finishes in synchronized events on the 3-meter springboard and 5-meter platform and also medaled individually.

Tanner Lange, a USA high diver from Canyon View High School drew attention for his dives that challenged Germany’s two-time Olympian Jaden Eikermann. His routines earned applause from spectators for including two high dives rarely seen in platform competition.

“Their teamwork, courage, and sportsmanship made us incredibly proud,” stated Bill Hunter, head coach of the YMCA Silver Fins Diving Team. “To place second among such experienced international teams shows how much heart these young athletes have, and how bright their future is. But equally important is how these kids foster positive relationships with divers and coaches across Europe.”

Several Silver Fins divers are scheduled to compete in February 2026 with the AAU National Team at the Eindhoven Diving Cup in the Netherlands.

Lange is also training to compete on the 20-meter platform at the 2026 World Cup. The Silver Fins are among the few U.S. programs that train youth in high diving, with three athletes currently in development.

The Ulla-Klinger Cup is considered one of Europe’s major youth diving competitions. It often serves as a stepping stone toward the World Aquatics Junior Diving Championships and the European Aquatics Championships.

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