Chris Booler sets a new record !
July 6th, 2024 – Chris Booler not only took home a gold medal on Friday, but he also set an Elite Junior Nationals record!
The Pointe-Claire diving club’s representative took advantage of the second day of activities at the Speedo 2024 Junior Elite National Championships to make a statement in the 3 m Group A final at the Shaw Centre in Saskatoon.
With a cumulative score of 586.20, he set a new event high and surpassed Nicholas Beaupré’s previous record of 575.65 points registered in 2012.
“I didn’t know my score until my last dive. When I saw the total, I was in shock! I’m so thrilled!” mentioned Chris Booler, very satisfied with his dives in the grand final.
“I did well in qualifying and was confident in my dives. I didn’t deliver my best or worst performance, but I managed to reach the final and that’s all that mattered at that point,” shared the Montrealer.
You could feel the camaraderie between the competitors on Friday, thanks to the many cheering voices.
Sam Vajerhelabad (Idive), who won the “rip” contest to open the event, came second best this time with 538.75 points. However, since the Iranian cannot be included in the Canadian ranking for the event, Emmitt Reesor (TDA) took silver with 531.90 points and Arnaud Corbeil (CAMO) completed the podium with 526 points.
“I worked hard for what are my last Junior Nationals. I improved all my dives in the final compared to qualifying, and I’m glad I did it when it counted most,” added Booler, who will be focusing on the 1 m event scheduled for Saturday.
Lisé-Coderre goes back-to-back
Meanwhile, Claude-Olivier Lisé-Coderre won the 1 m Group B final to earn his second gold medal in as many days in Saskatoon! Victorious in the men’s 3 m Group B the day before, the CAMO diver repeated the feat in another very competitive final.
Saskatchewan’s Kash Tarasoff put up quite a fight for the occasion. Cheered on by the crowd every time he stepped on the springboard, the local athlete scored a total of 410.40 points on Friday, which earned him the silver medal, just 5.70 points behind Lisé-Coderre.
The winner amassed 416.10 points to finish on top of the podium once again, while Mark Rico Lam (SFEC) took home bronze with 321.45 points.
“Thursday was a very demanding day, and Friday was just as challenging. There were ups and downs, but I kept going throughout the day, commented Claude-Olivier Lisé-Coderre. In the final, Kash and I were very close in the standings, and it came down to the last dive, which was very tough mentally.”
The eventual gold medallist heard his opponent’s score just before he took off and knew exactly what was at stake as he prepared for his final dive.
“I knew it was tight and that put a bit of pressure on me, but I was able to handle it! I found it harder than the 3 m event because I was less confident in my dives. We don’t work on the 1 m as often. I was consistent, but I know I can do even better in future competitions.”
For her part, Renée Batalla won the only women’s final presented on Friday – the Group A 10 m platform. Representing British Columbia’s Boardworks diving club, Batalla was particularly proud of her last dive in the grand final, which earned her a total of 82 points.
“It’s a great way to enjoy my last appearance at the Junior Nationals!” exclamed Batalla.
She amassed a total of 424.60 points in the final to beat Luisa Fragoeiro-Arco (SFEC, 370.55 points) and Mathilde Laberge (CAMO, 369.05 points). However, since Portugal native Fragoeiro-Arco cannot be included in the Canadian rankings, Laberge finished in second place and Ontario’s Audree Howes (ONDC, 354.05 points) took third place.
“Several athletes are competing in their last Junior Nationals. Everyone’s feeling good and wishing each other good luck. We all do our own things to prepare, but I felt confident and calm before the final,” declared Renée Batalla, delighted to leave Saskatchewan with a gold medal around her neck.
The Speedo 2024 Junior Elite National Championships resume on Saturday with the men’s 1 m (Group A) and 10 m (Group B) finals, as well as the women’s 3 m Group B final.