Caeli McKay and Kate Miller onSecond Step of Podium
April 21, 2024 – After three days of competition at the World Cup Super Final, the Canadian diving team will depart the Chinese city of Xi’an with a silver medal. Caeli McKayand Kate Miller finished second in the women’s 10m synchronized dive event on Friday, securing the silver medal with a final score of 296.10.
Going into their fifth and final dive, the Canadians were in provisional fourth place. However, thanks to a score of 70.08 on their last plunge, they moved up two spots, edging out the Mexicans and the Ukrainians.
“We tried a new list of dives, and our scores were good enough for the silver medal, so we’re happy,” said McKay. “Trying a new list at the end of the Olympic cycle was an interesting experience, and we’re still not sure if we’ll do it again. But either way, it was a good experience.”
McKay and her Ontarian partner have only been competing on the tower together for a year, so they still have plenty of room for improvement.
“As time goes by, we keep getting to know each other better, and we’re really looking forward to Paris,” added McKay.
Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan of China won gold with 364.86 points, while Kseniia Bailo and Sofiia Lyskun earned bronze with 294.42.
McKay was back in action in Sunday’s individual 10m tower event, where she finished fifth with a score of 318.05 points. The Olympian, who hails from Calgary, had a slow start to the competition. Following her first of five dives, she was in eleventh place. In the next round, however, she began her ascent in the standings, moving up with each dive. Her fourth dive, a triple somersault and half back tuck, was her best of the competition (74.25).
“It was frustrating to mess up my first dive, but I came back stronger in my next dives. I still have some things to work on before the Olympic trials, and I’m hoping to raise the level of my dives in the next few weeks, so as to be even stronger.”
Elaena Dick of Toronto finished tenth with 283.25 points.
China’s Chen Yuxi (443.20) and Quan Hongchan (410.70) were both back on the podium, winning gold and silver, respectively. Andrea Spendolini Sirieix of Great Britain secured the bronze medal with a score of 344.60.
Also on Sunday, Rylan Wiens finished seventh in the men’s 10m event. The athlete from Saskatoon was awarded a total of 442.55 points by the judges. The gold medal went to Yang Hao of China (557.60), who also won two gold medals at the Montreal World Cup in March.
The Canadian team’s Olympic trials will take place in Windsor from May 17 to 19.
