Canadian divers Abel, Imbeau-Dulac earn Grand Prix gold
Abel also won silver with Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu
Jennifer Abel, and Francois Imbeau-Dulac won gold in the mixed synchro three-metre springboard event at the Canada Cup on Sunday.
Abel, from Laval, Que., and Imbeau-Dulac, from St. Lazare, Que., scored 296.31 points. Australia's Georgia Sheehan and Matthew Carter won silver with 288.90 points while New Zealand's Elizabeth Cui and Liam Stone finished third with 288.00 points.
"It was not our greatest event," said Imbeau-Dulac. "The last two dives were pretty bad but we managed to get the job done and that's what we needed to do today."
"We didn't have much energy, and then the adrenaline of the competition, that pumped us up," he added.
The medal was Abel's second of the day.
The Olympic bronze medallist won a silver in the women's synchro springboard event with teammate Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu with a score of 291.00 points. Dongjin Jia and Hui Ling Chen of China won gold with 302.70 points. Australia's Sheehan and her partner Anabelle Smith registered 279.00 points for the bronze medal.
"Today was really stressful for me," said Citrini-Beaulieu, from St. Constant, Que., who competed in her first Canada Cup final.
The Canada Cup serves as a preparation competition for the fourth stop of the diving World Series in Windsor, Ont., from Apr. 21 to 23.
In the women's platform final, Montreal's Meaghan Benfeito missed two dives, including her final one to finish in fifth place.
"I got out of the water and I didn't really understand what had happened," said the three-time Olympic bronze medallist. "I was just in shock, more than upset at myself."
Japan's Nana Sasaki won the women's platform competition with 338.70 points.
Imbeau-Dulac scored 427.50 points for fifth place in the final of the men's springboard.