Canadians Capture Bronze in Mixed Team Event

Montreal World Cup

Montréal, February 27, 2026 – For the first time since 2023, Canada’s diving team landed on the podium in the World Cup mixed team event, held on Friday at the Olympic Stadium in Montréal. Mia Vallée, Nathan Zsombor-Murray, Katelyn Fung, and Matt Cullen joined forces to capture the bronze medal, thanks to a spectacular performance before an enthusiastic crowd of their countrymates.

Back in 2023, Zsombor-Murray was a member of the squad that secured the World Cup silver medal, also in his hometown. That year, he dove with Pamela Ware, Caeli McKay, and Bryden Hattie. A few weeks later, the same quartet won gold at the World Cup Super Final in Germany.

This year, Zsombor-Murray competed with an entirely new crew.

Friday’s mixed team competition began with the 3m events. After Vallée scored 67.50 points, Zsombor-Murray put the team in provisional first place with 91.20. In the synchronized event, the Canadians’ total climbed to 217.20 points, but the team dropped slightly in the standings.

Fung helped her team climb back up in the standings thanks to a dive worth 72.00 points, as did Cullen, with 82.80. However, it all came down to the final dive in the synchronized 10m event, where Fung and Cullen pulled off an excellent inward triple somersault and a half in tuck position that earned them 76.80 points and virtually guaranteed a medal for Canada with 448,80.

“It was stressful! Katelyn and I were the last to go, so we could feel the pressure, but I think we handled it well. We dove really well and [our team] won a medal,” said Cullen.

The team’s podium finish was especially sweet for Vallée and Fung, who both failed to qualify for the finals in their respective individual events.

“To me, it feels like redemption. The reverse dive is one of the ones I messed up in yesterday’s individual event, so I was excited to have another chance to prove what I’m capable of. It went way better today than yesterday!” said a smiling Vallée.

The Chinese team clinched gold with 469.40 points. Mexico secured silver with 460.85.

Paul and Zsombor-Murray wow the crowd

Earlier on Friday, Carson Paul and Nathan Zsombor-Murray made a strong showing ahead of the men’s 3m finals, which will be held on Sunday evening. The two Canadians will be ones to watch, having performed splendidly in the qualifiers to finish third and ninth.

Not only did Paul put in a brilliant performance, but he did so in spectacular fashion on home soil. The British Columbian’s exceptional showing earned him 449.65 points and a third-place finish in the qualification rounds. He sits behind Wang Zongyuan of China (514.70), bronze medallist at the 2025 World Championships and three-time Olympic medallist, and Zheng Jiuyuan (455.70), also of China.

“My main goal was to compete in this event and perform well, so that I would have a chance to dive again on the weekend,” said Paul, who, until today, had never finished in the top 20 at a World Cup. At last summer’s World Championships in Singapore, however, he placed 14th.

“I feel good. I’m happy with my performance. I’ll try to do it again on Sunday,” he said, before heading off to find his mother in the stands.

Zsombor-Murray placed ninth in this morning’s qualifications, proving that he truly belongs in the new-to-him event. The Montrealer, who won a bronze medal in the synchronized 10m competition at the Paris Olympic Games, racked up 418.25 points in his competitive debut on the 3m springboard. He will therefore take part in his first international finals in the discipline.

Quebec’s Cédric Fofana also took to the boards today. He finished 16th with a cumulative score of 389.45 points, which was not enough to secure a spot in the finals.

Kate Miller heads to the finals

Kate Miller is another Canadian who made her mark in Montréal on Friday, earning a ticket to the women’s 10m platform finals. The diver from Ottawa amassed 301.00 points in the qualifying rounds, earning the ninth-best result of the day. The three top spots are currently held by Cui Jiaxi (381.10), Jiang Linjing (369.50), and Lu Wei (344,95), all of China.

Fung finished 14th with 279.75 points and will not advance to Sunday’s finals. However, the Ontarian, who won bronze in today’s mixed team event, will be back on the platform on Saturday for the women’s synchronized 10m event, along with Miller.

A total of four finals will be held on Saturday at the World Cup in Montréal.

Zsombor-Murray and Paul will team up for the men’s synchronized 3m event.

Sonya Palkhivala will be the only Canadian to compete in the women’s 3m finals.

In the men’s 10m platform finals, Matt Cullen and Benjamin Tessier will be the ones to watch.