Montreal's Cedric Fofana makes a dive during the men's 1m springboard preliminary at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. Fofana advanced to his first major final on the international stage Friday at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Hassan Ammar
Montreal’s Cedric Fofana advanced to his first major final on the international stage Friday at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup.
The 20-year-old Fofana placed 10th in the men’s three-metre springboard preliminary round with 387.75 points – just under six shy of his career high (393.65) – in front of friends and family at the Olympic Pool.
Bryden Hattie of Victoria missed the cut by finishing 13th (375.90), but could still feature in the final if a diver from the top 12 withdraws.
Calgary’s Caeli McKay, Ottawa’s Kate Miller and Montreal’s Eloise Belanger compete in the women’s 10-metre platform Friday afternoon. McKay and Miller have booked their spots at this summer’s Paris Olympics as a pair in the 10-metre synchro discipline.
Later, Canadians Fofana, Belanger, Benjamin Tessier and Amelie-Laura Jasmin are scheduled to take part in the mixed team final. Canada won silver in the event last year in Montreal.
Finals for the men’s three-metre synchro, women’s 10-metre synchro, men’s 10-metre individual and women’s three-metre individual take place Saturday.
Competition wraps up Sunday with the women’s three-metre synchro, men’s 10-metre synchro, men’s three-metre individual and women’s 10-metre individual finals.
The event features over 120 divers – including 12 Canadians – from more than 20 countries.
Montreal is the first World Cup event of the season, followed by another stop from March 21-24 in Berlin and the World Cup Super Final from April 19-21 in Xi’an, China.
The Canadian Olympic trials are set for May 17-19 in Windsor, Ont. The Olympics begin on July 26.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 1, 2024.
