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 – Canadians Caeli McKay and Kate Miller advanced to the women’s 10-metre platform final Friday at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup.
The Calgary-born McKay finished third (352.15) in the preliminary round behind Chinese divers Quon Hongchan (421.00) and Chen Yuxi (412.85) at the Olympic Pool.
Miller, an 18-year-old from Ottawa, placed 10th (308.05) to reach her first World Cup final while Montreal’s Eloise Belanger missed the cut in 16th.
McKay and Miller have booked their spots at this summer’s Paris Olympics as a pair in the 10-metre synchro discipline.
Earlier Friday, Montreal’s Cedric Fofana advanced to his first major final on the international stage.
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.
“I’m really happy because I’ve been trying to qualify for a final for a long time, and I wasn’t always getting the results I expected,” said Fofana, who placed 34th at the worlds last month. “To qualify with the best of the world for a final, I’m really proud of that.”
Bryden Hattie of Victoria missed the cut by finishing 13th (375.90), but could still feature in Sunday’s final if a diver from the top 12 withdraws.
Canada did not earn a men’s three-metre quota spot for Paris.
Canadians Fofana, Belanger, Benjamin Tessier and Amelie-Laura Jasmin were scheduled to take part in the mixed team final later Friday. 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.
The 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, March 21-24, in Berlin and the World Cup Super Final, 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.
