Margo Erlam waits for Olympic fate after gold-medal performance at Canadian diving trials

Tears of joy ran down the face of Margo Erlam while exiting the pool following a long and stressful week that ended with her realizing a lifelong dream.

Having successfully completed a series of dives in women's 3-metre springboard, including a double somersault and half-turn in pike position to earn a high of 78.00 points on her last, Erlam met Diving Canada's qualification criteria for the Paris Olympics this summer.

"It was a really stressful day, possibly the most stressful day of my entire life," the 21-year-old Calgary native told Diving Canada on Sunday after winning the women's three-metre event at national trials in Windsor, Ont.

"I never believed [winning gold] could happen. I always do my best, but it's incredible when it happens for real, not just in your hopes and dreams."

Erlam was relieved after scoring 71.40 on her second dive which had caused her much anxiety in training.

Earlier, Erlam established herself as one of the leaders in the first round of the final, alongside Ware, Quebec's Amélie-Laura Jasmin, and Mia Vallée.

An intriguing final was expected when only 0.05 points separated Erlam and two-time Olympian Pamela Ware of Greenfield Park, Que., at Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre.

1 step closer to Olympics

Erlam now waits as her name will be submitted to the Canadian Olympic Committee, which is scheduled to announce its diving team in June.

"It's unbelievable. I'm still trying to get my head around it," said Erlam of being one step closer to her first Summer Games.

The support of her family and friends has been invaluable in recent months.

"My parents wanted [this medal] as badly as I did," Erlam said. "They've given me so much support. I wanted to win it for the four-year-old girl I was when I first started diving."

Erlam developed a love for the water while boating during summers in Montana as a youngster. Her older sister, Martine, tried diving at six and it wasn't long before Margo followed and joined Dive Canada.

Margo left Calgary at 16 for Saskatchewan, where she works with Olympian Mary Carroll at the Saskatoon Diving Club. Initially, she lived with fellow diver Rylan Wiens and his family before getting her own place at 17.

Erlam, a former junior national team standout, represented Canada at the 2015 Junior Pan Am Games, winning three-metre gold, before competing at the world junior championships in 2016 and 2018.

Erlam won her first senior international medal in Calgary, a silver with Ashley McCool of Cochrane, Alta., in the 3m synchro event at a 2018 FINA Diving Grand Prix event.

2022 Commonwealth bronze

In 2022, Erlam won a pair of gold medals with Mia Vallee (Kirkland, Que.) in women's 3m synchro and Victoria's Bryden Hattie in mixed 3m synchro at the FINA Diving Grand Prix in Calgary.

Later that year, Erlam posted a top-five finish with Vallee in 3m synchro at the FINA world aquatics championships in Budapest, Hungary. They capped the season with bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

Also Sunday, Nathan Zsombor-Murray drew from experience to prevail in a tightly contested battled with Benjamin Tessier in men's 10m platform.

"I'm really glad I get to train with Benjamin. He's very talented, and he always pushes me to do better," said Zsombor-Murray, who also has met all criteria for Olympic selection.

He set the tone for Sunday's final, earning over 94 points in each of his first two dives. Tessier answered with a perfect score of 102.00 on his penultimate attempt, a double somersault and half back with two-and-a-half twists.

But Zsombor-Murray held on, edging his opponent 776.95-734.98, with Geoffrey Vavitas securing bronze (587.80).

"These were my second Olympic trials, and having that experience helped a lot," Zsombor-Murray said. "I did my best to stay calm. But even though I may have seemed relaxed, I was extremely nervous."

Wiens, Caeli McKay and Kate Miller will also be considered for the Olympic squad.