In reality, it was just a matter time before Belmont High School junior Cynthia Kelsey would break the school’s scoring record in the one-meter dive.

Kelsey’s talent was confirmed at last year’s Division 2 State Championships in November 2013 where, although ranked 10th in the field, she pushed eventual winner Hannah Phelan of Walpole High for the entire event to earn second place with 432.05 points, only 5 points from the school’s 11-dive record. 

And that time finally came on Wednesday, Sept. 24 during a duel meet with Stoneham High School where the three-year varsity diver – who goes by Thea – scored a total of 251.55 points over six dives, shattering the 235.70 point total set in 1989 by Laura Reagan in the year she won the state diving title.

Kelsey started the year strong with 210 points in the first meet of the season against Acton-Boxborough and 219 points vs. Melrose.

Kelsey has been a stellar competitor since her first dive at Belmont High as a 9th grader when she quickly broke and then extended the freshman record at 223.75 points in 2012.

Now Kelsey follows in the footsteps of Belmont’s champion Reagan, who would earned an appointment to the United States Naval Academy where she graduated in 1994.