July 22, 2018
Diving: world juniors
Diving Plongeon Canada – Injury derails Canadian divers in the team event at world juniors
KIEV, Ukraine – A late change in the line-up forced Canadian divers to adapt on the fly as they placed 10th in the mixed team event on Sunday to open the FINA World Junior diving championships.
Britain won the gold medal with 318.70 points, China was second at 307.50 and Australia third at 304.50.
Canada with Margo Erlam of Calgary, Bryden Hattie of Victoria, Laurent Gosselin-Paradis of Montreal and Nathan Zsombor-Murray of Pointe-Claire, Que., earned 259.30.
The Canadian squad received news on Saturday that top female diver Olivia Chamandy of Montreal would not compete due an injury suffered in training. Gosselin-Paradis and Erlam therefore became an instant mixed synchro pair.
‘’It was pretty stressful,’’ said Gosselin-Paradis. ‘’Margo and I really worked out this morning. It wound up going really well and I’m very happy with our showing.’’
It was a situation, Erlam admits, she never expected.
‘’I had to fill in some big shoes so I felt some pressure,’’ she said.
In the mixed team event, two to four divers representing both genders and both A (16-18) and B (14-15) age groups comprise a team. Each team executed five dives.
One individual dive must be performed by a girl or boy on 1-meter, 3-meter and platform, and both age groups must be represented in the individual dives. Additionally, two mixed synchronized dives are performed – a twisting dive on 1-metre and either a back or reverse dive on 3-metre.
For Chamandy, fourth on tower at the last world juniors in 2016, it’s a tough way to end her junior career.
‘’I’m really disappointed,’’ said Chamandy who’ll be out of action for a month. ‘’I was hoping to do well here and compete. Now it is my job to support the team and be there for them. I really hope we can do well.’’
Competition runs through to next Sunday.
For more information:
Dominique Ladouceur
Consultant, Communications and Media Relations
Diving Plongeon Canada
Cell : 514 576-2379 Email: dominique@diving.ca
Website: www.diving.ca
Twitter / Facebook / Instagram: @DivingCanada