Montreal divers open summer nationals with victories

Montreal's Peter Thach Mai and Éloise Bélanger opened the 2018 summer senior national diving championships with victories in men’s three-metre and women’s one-metre respectively, on Friday in Gatineua, Que.

Peter Thach Mai, Éloise Bélanger competing at senior event in Gatineau, Que.

Montreal's Eloise Belanger, seen above at previous event, captured gold with a strong performance in the women's one-metre event at the summer senior national diving championships in Gatineau, Que., on Friday. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)
Montreal's Peter Thach Mai and Éloise Bélanger opened the 2018 summer senior national diving championships with victories in men's three-metre and women's one-metre respectively, on Friday in Gatineau, Que.

Thach Mai earned 8.5's and 9.0's on his reverse dive en route to the gold with 433.05 points. Victor Povzner of Maple, Ont., took silver at 408.00, followed by Ottawa's Henry McKay in third at 403.00.

Click on the video player below to watch the women's one-metre and men's three-metre finals.

2018 Summer Senior National Diving Championships: Day 1 - Finals

6 years ago
Duration 2:33:00
Watch the Women's 1M and Men's 3M springboard finals from the Summer Senior National Diving Championships in Gatineau, Quebec

"It went better than expected in the final after a rough prelims," Thach Mai said.

"I was able to refocus for the final and I just wanted to go out there and do my best and not get rattled whether it went good or bad."

Povzner and McKay recently competed at the world junior championships in Ukraine where they captured gold in the three-metre synchro event.

Meanwhile, Bélanger delivered a faultless performance for the gold medal with 283.05 points. Calgary's Aimee Wilson was second at 273.10, with Mia Vallée of Beaconsfield, Que., scoring 250.45 for third.

"The small elements that were missing in the prelims were there in the final," said Bélanger, who successfully defended here title.

"I had more power in my legs and more height on my take –offs. That made the difference in the final."

​​CBC Sports will stream every event through to the end of competition on Sunday.