Competing against British champions Monique McCarroll and Sarah Barrow - also a Southampton-Plymouth combo - Powell and Couch had to keep their nerve to seal their nomination to this year's Olympic squad.

 

They went into an early lead with excellent required dives and scored nines on their first inward dive.

 

McCarroll and Barrow closed the gap on the leaders with an impressive inward three-and-a-half somersaults in the third round but could not quite make up for their dropped second round dive.

 

Powell and Couch secured their nomination to Team GB with a final score of 324.72, while McCarroll and Barrow finished just three points behind them with 321.72.

 

Couch said: "I just can't believe it.

 

"I was fine until I saw the reaction of my friends and family and now I am quite emotional.

 

"In all honesty, we didn't think we were going to make it against such high quality competition.

 

"I was quite nervous when I went onto the board for the final dive knowing how close Monique and Sarah were to us.

 

"I just wanted to keep focused and do what needed to be done.

 

"I tried to see it as just a display dive, this took the pressure off me and it worked because we got some good scores on the last dive."

 

Powell said: "It just hasn't sunk in for me yet.

 

"That was a personal best score for us and I think the whole situation will hit me when I speak to my family and friends.

 

"When we didn't qualify for the World Cup in February we went back to the basics and broke all of our dives down.

 

"We looked at all aspects of each of our dives and worked on our technique to make sure it was the same.

 

"We have been feeling good in training and I am so happy with how today went for us."

 

The action at the John Charles Centre for Sport in Leeds will see Britain's divers trying to add themselves to the Olympic squad.

 

The only two athletes to already be nominated are Pete Waterfield and Tom Daley who will fill the places in the men's 10m Individual.

 

Blake Aldridge, Daley's partner in the synchronised event, has been forced to withdraw from action this weekend due to an injury he suffered in a motorcycle accident.

 

The Southampton diver, who will be nominated to dive with Daley in the10m Synchro in Beijing, injured his elbow a week ago and it subsequently became badly infected.

 

He said: "I was involved in a motorcycle accident and cut my arm.

 

"Originally it didn't seem to be a big deal but it's since become infected and the infection goes all the way to the bone.

 

"It's really swollen and I've decided it's a smart decision not to dive. I've been looked at by doctors and it's being treated with antibiotics but it makes no sense to dive here this weekend and jeopardise my Olympics.

 

"As part of my preparations I was due to have next week off so I just hope it clears up within that time and I can get back into training properly as soon as possible."