Emotional Calgary diver Caeli McKay 'proud' to place 5th at worlds 1 year after injury
Sat 1.35 points out of bronze position after Round 3; Chen Yuxi repeats as champion
Caeli McKay was fewer than eight points out of bronze position in women's 10-metre platform after her first dive Monday but couldn't deliver a difference-making performance in her next four attempts to secure a medal at the world aquatics championships.
The Calgary native, making her first appearance of the year at an international competition, placed fifth with 318.45 points, 20.40 behind bronze medallist Pandelela Pamg of Malaysia (338.85) in Budapest, Hungary.
Chen Yuxi led a 1-2 finish for China, successfully defending her title with a score of 417.25, 0.30 points ahead of teammate and 2020 Olympic champion Quan Hongchan.
McKay continues to work her way back after tearing ligaments in her left ankle a month before last year's Olympics.
As she pointed to the pool in Budapest, McKay told Brenda Irving of CBC Sports that Monday marked one year since she hurt herself while dryland training.
WATCH | 'I wasn't prepared for this event,' says emotional McKay:
"I'm super proud of what I did [today]," said the teary-eyed athlete, who was seventh in the event at 2019 worlds in Gwangju, South Korea. "I wasn't very sharp on the entries [to the water] but I'm just happy and proud to be here."
A year ago at Canadian trials, McKay caught her foot between a mat and a box she was jumping from.
The 23-year-old was able to dive at the Olympics and placed fourth with the now-retired Meaghan Benfeito in the 10-metre synchronized event, finishing less than a point off the podium.
I'm putting in the work and trying to get my body healthy enough that I can just worry [about competing].— Canadian diver Caeli McKay
McKay chose to rest and not to compete at the FINA Grand Prix earlier this month in Calgary after finishing second at nationals in May.
"I wasn't prepared for this event at all," she said Monday. "I rushed to get to nationals to get here.
"I'm putting in the work and trying to get my body healthy enough that I can just worry [about competing]."
Fourth entering her final dive on Monday, back 2 ½ somersaults 1 ½ twists with a 3.2 degree of difficulty, McKay scored 65.60 and slipped to fifth behind third-place Pamg and Brazil's Ingrid Oliveira.
McKay's fourth dive was the difference. The back 3 ½ somersaults is her highest-scoring dive but she only managed 57.75 points on Monday while Pamg posted 75.20 — her highest of the day — to extend her hold on bronze by nearly 20 points over McKay.
4th place heading into her 4th dive<br><br>Can <a href="https://twitter.com/caemckay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@caemckay</a> get in the bronze medal position?<br><br>Watch: <a href="https://t.co/MCXJ6gTBQK">https://t.co/MCXJ6gTBQK</a> <a href="https://t.co/xOYY3cxEP3">pic.twitter.com/xOYY3cxEP3</a>
—@CBCOlympicsMedal threat after 3rd dive
After qualifying third for the final, the Canadian opened Monday's competition with a solid entry into the water on her forward 3 ½ somersaults.
McKay's second dive dropped her to fifth, behind Oliveira, who scored 67.20 to remain third, and Pamg in fourth. The Montreal resident managed just 58.80 on her reverse 2 ½ somersaults, the lowest degree of difficulty of any of her attempts at 2.8.
WATCH | 'I haven't had a day without pain since my accident," McKay says:
McKay rebounded on her third dive, inward 3 ½ somersaults, that netted 68.80 points and allowed her to leapfrog Oliveira and close to within 1.35 points of Pamg (196.45-195.10).
Coverage continues Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET with the men's three-metre springboard final, followed by the men's springboard synchro event at 1 p.m.
WATCH | Full event coverage of women's 10-metre platform from Budapest:
Canadian teen swimmers learn valuable lessons
Also Monday, a group of young Canadian swimmers gained valuable experience in the open water competition.
Edmonton's Emma Finlin led the team, reaching the finish of the five-kilometre race in 28th at Lupa Beach, with Regina's Abby Dunford and Alexander Axon of Markham, Ont., in 31st and 33rd, respectively.
Finlin, who made her senior national team debut in Sunday's 6 km relay, finished in a group of 13 swimmers within 10 seconds of each other.
"That was a really cool experience. It was my longest open water race, so it was much different from the 1,500," the 17-year-old Finlin, sporting a scratch near her left eye from some contact in the pack, said in a statement released by Swimming Canada.
"I learned that you can be quite aggressive in open water. I wasn't quite prepared for that, so it was definitely a learning experience. I think I can do some more open water in my future."
Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil posted a winning time of 57 minutes 52.9 seconds in the women's race, followed by France's Aurelie Muller 0.9 seconds behind, and Italy's Giulia Gabbrielleschi 1.1 seconds later.
'Good experience'
The Canadian women moved between the teens and 20s in the first half of the three-lap race, often swimming close together. The pair picked up the pace on the back half, with Dunford moving forward to 14th at the 3.2-km mark, followed by Finlin about 5.5 seconds behind in 18th.
Axon, who made his national team debut swimming one of the four legs of the 6 km relay event, tried to stay with the front pack early before gradually sliding back into the high 20s to low 30s.
"It was a good experience, I just struggled coming off that relay," said the 19-year-old. "I did absolutely everything in my power to take care of myself last night and yesterday during the afternoon to recover as best I can. But it just was not there this morning."
Germany's Florian Wellbrock was victorious in 52:48.8, with Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri 3.9 seconds behind and Mykhailo Romanchuk of Ukraine 25.1 seconds off the pace in bronze-medal position.
"I think coming in we knew we had a young, inexperienced squad, some in their first open water races or in their ever world championships," said Swimming Canada distance/open water coach Mark Perry. "Going through the process they've been very professional.
"They all did some good things in those races and they all made some mistakes, which we'd expect with their age and their experience level. The good thing about making those mistakes is we know we can fix them."
Aquatics worlds coverage continues every day through Sunday. Click on the link below for a full schedule of events.
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