December 5, 2016
Vallée and Erlam reach finals to complete strong Canadian performance at FINA World Junior Diving Championships
Diving – Canada ends the week-long meet with two medals
KAZAN, Russia – Canada ended the 2016 FINA World Junior Diving Championships on a strong note on Sunday with two finalists in the women’s 14-15 age group three-metre event.
The week-long competition featured a double medal performance for Montreal’s Olivia Chamandy.
‘’This was the strongest team we’ve had at the world juniors in the past eight years,’’ said Mitch Geller, Diving Canada’s chief technical officer. ‘’Based on some of the outstanding preliminary finishes, a few near misses and of course our spectacular medal performances the potential is there for possibly four medals at the world juniors in two years.’’
On Sunday, Mia Vallée of Beaconsfield, Que., was sixth with 368.00 and Margo Erlam of Calgary took 12th spot with 333.40. Yixian Liang of China won the gold medal with 408.60, Maria Cobourn of the U.S. was second at 398.35 and Xiaojie He of China third at 397.00.
It was a solid week for Vallée who also placed fourth on three-metre synchro with Chamandy and 12th on one-metre. It was a second final for Erlam, also eighth on platform.
On men’s 10-metre tower in the 16-18 age group, Gabriel Corriveau of Terrebonne, Que., was 14th and Alexandre Corriveau 17th.
Chamandy was Canada’s individual star at the competition. She won bronze medals on one-metre and 10-metre and was fourth on three-metre synchro and the mixed team event.
They were Canada’s first medal at the world juniors since 2010 when Rio Olympian Pamela Ware took the bronze on one-metre.
‘’With our next generation of outstanding young men ready to challenge for world level podium positions, our bullpen is deeper than ever,’’ said Geller. ‘’Our women’s team will continue to demonstrate the strength that has become the signature of Canadian diving. With this in mind, our prospects for the 2020 and 2024 Olympics look bright indeed.