Montréal, November 30, 2022 – For the second time in as many days, Montréal’s Sonya Palkhivala was crowned Junior World Champion! On Wednesday, the diver from Pointe-Claire and her partner Kate Miller of the Nepean Diving Club won the gold medal in the 14-to-18-year-old girls’ synchronized 3-metre springboard event on day four of the FINA World Junior Diving Championships, which are being held at the Montréal Olympic Park Sports Centre.
Yesterday, Palkhivala won a gold medal in the Group A individual 3-metre springboard competition.
“I feel great! And honestly, it’s a bit surreal, because I didn’t think it would really happen. I’m tired, but very proud,” said Palkhivala. “I don’t usually compete in this event, and Kate and I don’t train at the same place. […] We got to know each other this week, so it was great to get to enjoy the podium with another Canadian.”
Miller echoed her teammate’s sentiments.
“We connected over the course of the week, and that was reflected in our synchronized dives. […] [Winning the world championship] is a dream I’ve had since I was really little. I started diving when I was six, and I’m really happy to have achieved my dream!”
Palkhivala and Miller took the lead in the third of five rounds in the synchronized springboard competition. However, after the fourth and penultimate round, they were followed very closely by Britain’s Desharne Bent-Ashmeil and Amy Rollinson, who were trailing the Canadians’ provisional lead by only 0.03 points.
Palkhivala and Miller wrapped up the event with two superb rips that earned them a score of 63.84—their highest of the competition—and gave them a total of 272.97 points.
“I heard the announcer say that the race for first place was tight,” added Palkhivala. “I would have preferred not to hear that, but I was able to keep my focus, even though it did add some pressure. We did well on our final dive, and I’m really proud of that!”
The British duo’s score of 61.20 was not enough to knock the fan favourites out of the top spot. Bent-Ashmeil and Rollinson finished second with a total of 270.30 points, ahead of Australia’s Lucy Dovison and Olivia Roche, who ended the competition in third place with a score of 254.37.
Samuel Talbot and Arnaud Corbeil, both of the CAMO Club, placed ninth in the 14-to-18-year-old boys’ synchronized platform final, with a score of 272.34.
In the 14-to-15-year-old boys’ 1-metre springboard event, Alberta’s Luc Goertzen (Calgary Diving Club) had a total of 349.45 points after his four dives, which was good for tenth place.
“I feel great about what I did! Despite a few errors, I was consistent, and I’m happy with my tenth-place finish in the final. It was amazing [to be up against the world’s best], and I hope I get to do it again soon. It was my first major international competition,” said Goertzen, who appeared thrilled to have participated in the Junior World Championships.
In the same event, Montréal’s Blessing Roche (Pointe-Claire Diving Club) was in fifteenth place after the preliminary rounds and did not advance to the final.
In the girls’ 3-metre springboard competition in the same age group, the only Canadian finalist, Presley Deck (Saskatoon), finished eleventh. The 15-year-old, who was in fifth place following the qualifiers, earned a total of 293.35 points with her three dives.
Mathilde Laberge (CAMO), who was ranked fourteenth following this morning’s qualification rounds, was not among the twelve divers to advance to the finals.
The preliminary rounds and the finals of the Group A girls’ 1-metre springboard and boys’ 3-metre springboard events will take place on Thursday.
More information :
Maelle Dancause
Manager, Communications
Diving Canada
C: 514-475-4540
maelle@diving.ca