Paris Olympics-bound Canadians Nathan Zsombor-Murray and Rylan Wiens placed fifth in the men’s 10-metre synchronized competition Sunday at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup. Wiens and Zsombor-Murray compete during the Men's synchronized 10m platform diving final at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Hassan Ammar
MONTREAL – Canada’s Caeli McKay fell just short of the podium in the women’s 10-metre platform competition Sunday to wrap up the World Aquatics Diving World Cup event in Montreal.
The 24-year-old from Calgary placed fourth with 383.10 points, only 1.60 points shy of Great Britain’s Andrea Spendolini Sirieix.
Chen Yuxi of China won gold (415.35) and Quan Hongchan, also of China, took silver (411.45).
Ottawa’s Kate Miller, 18, finished eighth in her first individual final at a World Cup event.
China swept gold in all nine competitions over the weekend, giving the large number of Chinese fans lots to cheer for at the Olympic Pool. Diving Canada said it sold 2,173 tickets for Sunday.
Canada was held off the podium, finishing fourth four times and fifth three times.
The World Cup circuit moves on to its second event of the season in Berlin from March 21-24, followed by 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 July 26.
Earlier Sunday, Paris Olympics-bound Canadians Nathan Zsombor-Murray and Rylan Wiens placed fifth in the men’s 10-metre synchronized competition.
Zsombor-Murray, from Pointe-Claire, Que., and Wiens, from Pike Lake, Sask., held on to second place through four rounds of the six-leg event. A missed dive by Wiens on their fourth attempt, however, caught up with them as they finished with 409.95 points.
“Definitely a little disappointed knowing how close the podium was,” Wiens said. “Just that fourth-round dive for me, it’s been going well, I’ve been doing well in competition and just didn’t do well on this one, so a little bit disappointed in that.”
Yang Hao and Junjie Lian of China captured gold (457.23), Randal Willars Valdez and Kevin Berlin Reyes of Mexico won silver (428.97) and Thomas Daley and Noah Williams of Great Britain took bronze (417.93).
Zsombor-Murray and Wiens have pre-qualified for this summer’s Games in the discipline. They also placed fifth at last month’s world championships in Doha, but are aiming for better in Paris.
“I’m hoping for higher than fifth place at the Olympics, I’m hoping for a medal,” Zsombor-Murray said. “I think a performance like this on my end would be enough, and Rylan, if his fourth dive is better I think it’ll be close for a medal.”
Chen Yiwen and Chang Yani of China topped the podium (329.40) in the women’s three-metre synchro. Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook of the U.S. earned silver (312.60) while Madison Keeney and Anabelle Smith of Australia took bronze (297.60).
Canadians Aimee Wilson and Margo Elam of Calgary placed fourth (285.90).
Montreal’s Cedric Fofana finished eighth (416.05) in the men’s three-metre springboard, his first final at a major international competition.
Wang Zongyuan of China won gold (549.50), Oscar Olvera Ibarra of Mexico claimed silver (512.75) and Jack Laugher of Great Britain held bronze (506.00).
The event featured over 120 divers – including 12 Canadians – from more than 20 countries.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2024.
