Since 1971, DGS alum and retired swim coach Dr. Mark Antonoff has held the six-dive record of 249.45 points. On Dec. 8, sophomore Nicky Belony broke the record by 11.55 points, scoring a 261 and taking down Antonoff’s 52-year legacy.
Belony has been diving for six years now with a three-year gymnastics background to supplement the sport. Last season, he was just 10.15 points and one place away from qualifying for state, so this year he made it his mission to break the record and make it to state. He’s already achieved the first of these goals early in the season.
Belony trained over the summer and did a month of pre-season work to physically prepare to reach this milestone. He also worked on his mental preparation. Diving coach Elizabeth Lukes has seen big improvements in Belony’s abilities, both physically and mentally.
“I would definitely say working on his confidence really helped him break the record. One of his first days of practice this season, he was like a whole different athlete: he was calmer, he was more poised, he was confident in what he was doing, and he and I talked about that. There was one day where he had a challenging dive that did not go well, and just how he handled it differently this year vs. last year let me know that we were just working with a much more confident athlete and that really is what pushed him to the next level, and I knew he could do it,” Lukes said.
Belony revealed that it took lots of repetition to perfect his dives, and it also required a lot of confidence and focus to withstand the pressure of competing to break the record.
“I definitely felt a lot of pressure. I was super nervous leading up to the last dive, when I was like only 30 points away. My mental preparation was to just keep reassuring myself,” Belony said.
After breaking the record, Lukes immediately let her old coach, Antonoff, know that his record was coming down. Antonoff responded, writing, “Congrats! Now as it should be, and I’m no longer front and center, just a thing of the long-distant past. Super, tell him congratulations. Well done, coach.”
Lukes emphasized that the legacy of Antonoff’s diving and coaching techniques will be carried on, even if his name is no longer displayed on the record board.
“He had that magic about him where he just got you excited about it, he never yelled at you, which was very different from club gymnastics… he just had that warmth about him that he was just very inspirational. I’m so happy for Nicky, he’s such a deserving kid, but I’m not gonna lie… I will definitely miss seeing [Antonoff’s] name up there. It’s all the same bloodline, which is good, like if someone else was coaching Nicky who’s not from the ‘Antonoff school of diving,’ I think it would be a little different, but knowing that Nicky has been trained under some of those same techniques keeps it alive,” Lukes said.
Belony to improve his score throughout the season. He will compete next at the conference meet on Feb. 4.
