By Canadian Press

Canadian diver Jennifer Abel finishes fourth at world championships

Jul 21, 2019 | 10:32 AM

GWANGJU, Korea, Republic Of — Canadian diver Jennifer Abel fell just short of the podium on Friday at the world aquatics championships.

The 27-year-old from Laval, Que., finished fourth in the women’s three-metre springboard event.

Abel had 333.35 points. Australian Maddison Keeney won bronze with 367.05 points.

“I’m very happy with how I was mentally and physically. I didn’t make any major mistakes but unfortunately on my third and fourth dives I made mistakes that took me off the podium,” said Abel.

Pamela Ware of Greenfield Park, Que., was seventh.

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Abel captured a Canadian record ninth career world aquatics championships medal earlier this week when she teamed with Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu to win silver in the three-metre synchronized event.

Two-time Olympic champion Shi Tingmao of China shrugged off a side strain and won her third successive title in the individual event.

“I had to overcome the pain to focus on my own dives,” Shi said. “The victory boosts my confidence on the way to the Tokyo Olympic Games.”

Shi, as consistent as ever throughout the final, scored 391.00 points to clinch the gold medal.

Teammate Wang Han tallied 372.85 for her third silver medal of the event, as she also finished second in the 2013 and 2017 worlds.

Shi topped five of her six dives. She was second to Keeney on the fourth one.

“I was happy that Shi and I had a one-two finish since Keeney is very competitive and a respected rival,” Wang said. “It was my third time competing in the 3-meter individual springboard, I was hungry for the gold medal.”

Meanwhile, Vincent Riendeau of Pointe-Claire, Que., secured a 2020 Olympics quota spot for Canada by finishing 11th in the semifinal for the men’s 10-metre platform event, moving him to the 12-diver final on Saturday.

“It’s definitely a big relief because I know what kind of stress it is to get into the World Cup, the last qualification, and not have any spots opened so I’m glad to have avoided a little bit of stress for that competition,” said Riendeau. “It’s not over, this has opened a spot for Canada but it doesn’t mean it’s my spot so I still have to work for it and it’s going to be an objective for next year and I’m going to have to give it everything.”

— with files from The Associated Press

The Canadian Press