Canada's Ware finishes fifth in women's three-metre at diving World Cup

Canada’s Ware finishes fifth in women’s three-metre at diving World Cup

Montreal’s Pamela Ware finished fifth in the women’s three-metre springboard competition Saturday at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup.

Ware missed the podium by 4.85 points after scoring a 339.75.

Three-time reigning world champion Chen Yiwen of China cruised to gold (395.60). Sarah Bacon of the U.S. earned silver (356.40) and Chang Yani of China took bronze (344.40).

Calgary Aimee Wilson finished 12th.

Ware, who won silver in the same event last May in Montreal, was coming off a disappointing 25th-place finish at the world championships in Doha last month.

The 31-year-old also placed 15th alongside partner Mia Vallée of Kirkland, Que., in the women’s three-metre synchro in Doha after falling feet-first into the pool on her final dive. The duo failed to secure a quota spot for this summer’s Paris Olympics as a result.

Canada has pre-qualified for one spot in the women’s individual three-metre.

Earlier, Canada’s Caeli McKay and Kate Miller placed fourth in the women’s 10-metre synchronized event.

McKay, from Calgary, and Miller, from Ottawa, were in second place after the third round of the five-leg competition before losing pace on their fourth dive at the Olympic Pool. They finished just under 10 points off the podium with 287.91 points.

Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi of China captured gold (368.82), Andrea Spendolini Sirieix and Lois Toulson of Great Britain won silver (301.14) and Gabriela Agundez Garcia and Alejandra Orozco Loza of Mexico took bronze (297.84).

McKay and Miller have already booked their spots at this summer’s Paris Olympics in the discipline.

Long Daoyi and Wang Zongyuan of China captured gold in the men’s three-metre synchro. Jack Laugher and Anthony Harding of Great Britain took silver while Rodrigo Diego Lopez and Osmar Olvera Ibarra of Mexico took bronze.

Later Saturday, Rylan Wiens of Pike Lake, Sask., and Nathan Zsombor-Murray of Pointe-Claire, Que., were scheduled to compete in the men’s 10-metre platform individual event.

Competition wraps up Sunday with the women’s three-metre synchro, men’s 10-metre synchro, men’s three-metre individual and women’s 10-metre individual finals.

The event features over 120 divers — including 12 Canadians — from more than 20 countries.

Montreal is the first World Cup event of the season, followed by another stop from March 21-24 in Berlin and 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 on July 26.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2024.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press