June 3, 2018
Fofana breaks Canadian age group record at 2018 Junior Elite Nationals
Diving Canada – WINNIPEG – Cedric Fofana of Quebec City lowered the Canadian record in the boys 14-15 age group three-metre for the gold medal on Friday at the 2018 Junior Elite Nationals diving competition.
Fofana presented by far the most difficult list of the entries and scored 506.30 points. His best dive was a reverse 3.5 somersault in tuck position which earned him 75.25 points. The dive has a 3.5 degree of difficulty, one of the highest in the world for a junior-aged competitor.
‘’It’s definitely my hardest dive,’’ said Fofana. ‘’I know I can land it successfully because I’ve done it well in practice. It still wasn’t as good today but it was one of the better ones I’ve done in competition.’’
Fofana only started training his optional dives this week. He had been bothered by a sore hip this spring.
‘’I just went in with the attitude that I would dive to the best of my ability,’’ he said. ‘’I didn’t have much training going in so I’m just really happy with what happened today.’’
Edouard Juteau of Blainville, Que., was second at 424.40 and Ben Smyth of Victoria third at 416.15.
In the girls 16-18 three-metre, Margo Erlam of Calgary nailed her last twisting dive for a series of 8.0’s to win with 524.15. Mia Vallée of Montreal was second at 502.25 and Olivia Chamandy of Montreal third at 464.60.
‘’I lost my focus in the prelims so I was pleased with how I came back and executed all of my dives successfully in the final,’’ said Erlam. ‘’My reverse was the most worrisome dive and I had missed it in prelims.
‘’To lay it down in finals was amazing.’’
On men’s 16-18 one-metre, Victor Povzner of Maple, Ont., took the title with 536.65, Henry McKay of Ottawa was second at 492.05 and Joshua Inglis of London, Ont., third at 469.10.
‘’Starting off with a strong dive in the final gave me a lot of confidence after a so-so prelims,’’ said Povzner. ‘’I was also relieved to get enough height on my reverse to land it successfully in the last round.’’
In the girls 14-15 one-metre, Tatiana Conn of Calgary collected her second individual gold with a personal best 394.35. Simone Leathead of Montreal was second at 377.00 and Kathryn Grant of Ottawa third at 337.50.
‘’The consistency on my optional dives is what got me the win,’’ said Conn, the platform winner on Thursday. ‘’My focus this year has been mostly on three-metre and platform. So I wasn’t as nervous.’’
Competition continues through to Sunday at the Pan Am Pool.
Full results: Integrated Sports Systems Live Diving