Caeli McKay First from Start to Finish
Montréal, May 27, 2023 – From her very first qualifying dive, Caeli McKay (PCDC) dazzled the crowd at the Canadian Championships in Toronto, Ontario. She kept up her winning streak all day Saturday, ending the day as Canadian champion on the 10-metre platform.
“Overall, I’m really happy. I was consistent and my scores were very good. I almost set a new personal record in the final. I made a small error on one of my dives, but I can’t complain. I’m really happy,” said McKay, moments after her win.
McKay clinched the top spot on the podium with a total of 374.50 points. Her scores of 80.00 and 84.80 on her third and fifth dives were the highest of the day.
McKay is now one step closer to attending the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, from July 14-22.
“I’m really excited about the World Championships. There are still a few aspects of my dives that need work, but I feel confident. With the Olympics getting closer, I can feel the nervousness building, but I just want to take it one competition at a time, and things will go well,” added the 23-year-old diver.
British Columbia’s Celina Toth (Boardworks) and Ontario’s Elaena Dick (SDC) completed the podium with their respective scores of 302.95 and 299.80.
Hattie and Povzner still on top
Just like they did in yesterday’s 3-metre springboard event, Bryden Hattie (Boardworks) and Victor Povzner (Optimal) once again shared the podium in the 1-metre final on Saturday.
Although he finished first in the final standings with a total of 412.65 points, Povzner could not be crowned national champion because he does not represent the country in international competition. The title therefore went to Hattie (408.45 points).
Although Hattie struggled somewhat during the qualification rounds, he rallied in the final to claim his second Canadian championship title in as many days.
“I don’t know what was going on this morning (Saturday), but it seemed like everyone was having trouble. I think we were all still tired from yesterday. Luckily, in the final, things went back to normal,” commented Hattie.
“I’m really happy with my weekend. I was consistent, and I managed to stay 100% focused on my dives. It’s a good confidence boost,” he added.
Povzner was also very satisfied with his performance in the final, scoring 77.55 on his second dive, the highest score of the final round.
“In the preliminary rounds, I like to play it safe, and I just hope to qualify for the finals. After that, I know anything is possible. I had fun and enjoyed myself, and that showed through in my results. I love the 1-metre springboard. It’s always been my favourite,” said Povzner.
Bjorn Markentin (SCDC) finished second with 379.30 points, while Thomas Ciprik (PCDC) finished third with 371.15.
The Canadian Championships will conclude on Sunday in Toronto with the women’s 3m final and the men’s 10m final.