Lexington Catholic’s twin Leslies sweep Kentucky’s state diving championships
Neither Graham Leslie nor his twin sister, Sydney, betray any nerves when they step out on the 1-meter diving board for Lexington Catholic.
That might be why the sophomores can now each call themselves state champions after their respective wins at the KHSAA State Swimming and Diving Championships at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center on Friday and Saturday.
“I just tell myself to get off the board and my brain knows what to do from there, because I’ve practiced these dives so much,” said Sydney Leslie, who threw her best dive in the last round of Friday’s girls semifinals to take over the overall lead, an inward 1½ somersault pike she nailed for a score of 50.40.
She finished with an 11-dive final tally of 477.50, more than 28 points ahead of runner-up Brooke Ronan of Oldham County, who also closed strong and moved from third to second with her final three dives.
“I kind of knew that I could get myself together and pull off my last few dives,” Sydney Leslie said. “I don’t really usually look at other people’s scores, but I knew it was tight.”
In Saturday’s boys event, Graham Leslie admitted some apprehension going into his final dive, but not because he was worried about the standings. The reverse somersault with 2½ twists is the hardest dive in his set. Turns out, he didn’t need to be concerned. His 57.40 on it was his second-best score of the day.
“When I got out of the water, I was really excited, because I can feel when I do a good dive,” Graham Leslie said.
Graham and Sydney challenge each other to do harder and harder dives, and Graham said his last one was added at the urging of his sister, his mom and his coach. But Graham Leslie treats every event the same, he said, whether it be for his club or school.
“It’s just another day of diving,” Graham said.
He opened the finals with the highest score of the day, a forward 1½ somersault with a twist that drew a score of 59.40 and provided some breathing room over his competitors. He finished with an 11-dive total of 549.65, 52.15 ahead of second-place Jonah Kearns of Henry Clay.
Both Leslies finished third in their respective state competitions last season.
“Graham and Sydney both, they came in here today and yesterday, super confident and calm, and they did exactly what they needed to do,” said first-year Lexington Catholic coach Kyndal Knight, an all-American diver at Kentucky during her five-year college career that ended in 2023. “They’re both super talented and really hard workers.”
Kearns, the Henry Clay runner-up, finished his senior year with the best result of his career. Like Graham Leslie, he saved his best dive for the start of the finals, a 55.40 on an inward 1½ somersault pike. Kearns just missed the medals in ninth place last year.
“I’m shaking,” Kearns said. “I’m happy. It means a lot. All the hard work. It feels good.”
Kearns’ performance also contributed significantly to Henry Clay’s fourth-place finish overall when combined with the Blue Devils’ swim results later Saturday evening.
State Diving Championships Results
At the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center on Feb. 21-22. Medalists and Lexington finalists listed.
Girls: 1, Sydney Leslie, Lexington Catholic, 477.50. 2, Brooke Ronan, Oldham County, 448.85. 3, Savannah Bien, Notre Dame, 435.80. 4, Leila Macaulay, Assumption, 430.55. 5, Chris Nowak, Cooper, 418.85. 6, Daphne Powell, Brown, 386.95. 7, Rylee Pernell, Scott, 376.50. 8, Grace Hedger, Campbell County, 375.75. 11, Claire Nicholas, Henry Clay, 359.45. 15, Sophie Kroggel, Lafayette, 327.50.
Boys: 1, Graham Leslie, Lexington Catholic, 549.65. 2, Jonah Kearns, Henry Clay, 497.50. 3, Isaiah Reinhart, Simon Kenton, 469.55. 4, William Darnell, Bourbon County, 450.80. 5, Nathan Lackner, Oldham County, 438.95. 6, Sam Baker, St. Henry, 394.00. 7, William Rogers, St. Xavier, 384.05. 8, John O’Connor, Covington Catholic, 376.00. 10, Patrick Donworth, Sayre, 346.70.
This story was originally published February 23, 2025 at 9:57 AM.
