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Southern Cross Grand Prix |
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February 3, 2000
SOUTHPORT, Australia (CP)
Philippe Comtois of Montreal won the men's three-metre event at the Grand Prix diving circuit season-opening meet Wednesday. It was the second win of the meet by the Canadian team. On Tuesday, Etienne Gauthier of Montreal won the men's one-metre for his first major international triumph.
Comtois, an eight-time national champion, beat out Dean Pullar of Australia, who was second, and world No. 3 Fernando Platas of Mexico, who was third. Etienne Gauthier of Montreal placed fourth.
Strong winds at the outdoor venue hampered the divers.
"Philippe's diving wasn't up to par," said Comtois's coach Michel Larouche of Montreal's CAMO Club. "In fact, it was a bit disappointing despite the result. The wind really bothered the divers but it was the same conditions for everybody."
Anne Montminy of Pointe-Claire, Que., a silver medallist at the FINA World Cup last week, placed fifth in the women's 10-metre tower event. Blythe Hartley of North Vancouver, B.C., was seventh and Myriam Boileau of Montreal finished ninth.
February 4, 2000
SOUTHPORT, Australia
The Canadian diving team will head home from two major international diving meets in Australia over the past couple of weeks as an established world power in the sport and a legitimate contender for a bagful of medals back here in September at the Olympics.
Double world junior champion Blythe Hartley of North Vancouver, B.C., capped a superb performance by the women's squad Thursday capturing the bronze medal on three-metres to conclude the season-opening meet on the year-long Grand Prix circuit.
The Canadians end the competition with two gold, a silver and a bronze. Last week at the FINA World Cup in Sydney, the Canadians collected two medals and three more top-five finishes. The World Cup is third in importance after the Olympics and world championships.
On women's three-metres Thursday, World Cup champion Guo Jingjing of China won the gold medal with 287.16 points. Chantell Michell of Australia was second at 285.75 and Hartley, was third at 280.02.
On men's 10-metre, Huang Qang led a Chinese 1-2 finish winning with 475.41. He upset World Cup champion Tian Liang second at 473.58 while Robert Newbery of Australia was third at 414.54.
Philippe Comtois of Montreal, the three-metre winner Wednesday, was seventh, one of his best international results in the event. Alexandre Despatie of Montreal, the 14-year-old phenom who won the Commonwealth Games gold on tower in 1998, was 15th. He is coming back from injury.
For the first time since 1992, Canada can send a full diving team to the Olympics having qualified its two spots on men's and women's three-metre and 10-metres. Who makes the Olympic team will be decided at trials June 9-11 in Montreal. From that team, the pairs for the new synchronized diving events will be formed.
The Canadians stunned the diving world with outstanding performances in the synchro events. At the World Cup they earned Olympic berths and established themselves as Games medal contenders on both the women's three and 10-metre synchronized diving events and just missed qualifying for the men's events. It was Canada's first serious venture into synchro diving at the competitive level.
Some of the Canadians to watch for include Anne Montminy of Pointe-Claire, Que., a silver medallist on tower at the World Cup and Eryn Bulmer of Calgary, the 1997 World Cup champion and bronze medallist last week, on women's three-metres.
Teenager Emilie Heymans of Montreal was fourth on women's tower at the World Cup and a silver medallist on three-metres at the 1999 World Cup while Myriam Boileau also excels on both boards and was the 1997 World Cup champion on tower.
Next on the diving calendar is the second stop on the Grand Prix circuit March 3-5 at Rostock, Germany.
Page reviewed on March 18, 2000 by
