Quebec divers Jennifer Abel and Pamela Ware both qualified for Saturday’s semifinal of the women’s three-metre springboard event after finishing third and fourth, respectively, in the preliminary rounds Friday at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Abel, 29, from Laval, Que., finished third in the qualifying round with a score of 332.40. Ware, 29, from Greenfield Park, Que., scored 330.10 points to finish fourth. By comparison, Ware ranked 21st at the World Cup at the same venue in early May.
China’s Shi Tingmao placed first with a total of 350.45 points while her teammate Wang Han placed second with a score of 347.25. Tingmao took the gold medal for the event at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and is the reigning world champion.
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The Chinese team has dominated the women’s 3m springboard since Sylvie Bernier from Sainte-Foy Quebec won gold in Los Angeles in 1984, setting an Olympic record with a score of 530.70 and picking up Canada’s first-ever gold medal in diving and becoming Quebec’s first female Olympic champion.
Last Sunday, Abel, along with partner Mélissa Citrini-Beaulieu, received a silver medal in the women’s 3m springboard synchronized event. It was Abel’s second Olympic podium win following her bronze medal performance in the same event with Emilie Heymans at the London Games in 2012.
The women’s 3m springboard semi-finals will take place Saturday.
— with files from Global News’ Travis Todd