Eric Sehn finished a superb afternoon with two near-perfect dives on the 10-metre platform at Saanich Commonwealth Place for the Winter Diving National Championships on Sunday afternoon.
Perfect is something SaanichB次元官网网址檚 Riley McCormick wasnB次元官网网址檛.
With Sehn in first and WinnipegB次元官网网址檚 Kevin Geyson holding steady in second, McCormickB次元官网网址檚 chances dimmed when he misfired on his fourth dive. It scored 64.8, his lowest of the day, and McCormick was almost ready to give up hope.
But the hometown boy pulled it altogether, acing his final dive to claim second place.
B次元官网网址淎fter that fourth dive I thought I was out of it. I told myself thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing else I could do but put more pressure on Geyson,B次元官网网址� McCormick said.
B次元官网网址淪ehn (519 points) did an amazing job. I would have liked to have gone dive for dive with him, it would have made for a better show.B次元官网网址�
Finishing second was critical as it qualified McCormick for the Diving World Cup in February, a test event for the 2012 Olympics in London, England. That was McCormickB次元官网网址檚 goal from the outset of the nationals and one of the reasons he took leave from competing for Arizona State in the NCAA this year.
Coach Tommy McLeod from Boardworks met up with McCormick after the fifth dive and had a word with him.
B次元官网网址淩iley told me he didnB次元官网网址檛 know why he was diving so badly. I said, B次元官网网址榠t doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter why, all you have to do is (nail your last dive) the back three and a half (somersault).B次元官网网址�
McCormick did, scoring mainly 8.5s with a couple of nines for a 91.8. Added to his other dives, McCormick finished with 463 points B次元官网网址� six ahead of Geyson.
McCormick wasnB次元官网网址檛 the only Victoria diver in the menB次元官网网址檚 10m final as Fraser McKean finished fifth with 390 points, 10 shy of qualifying for international events. McKean (Auburn University) and McCormick both graduated from Claremont secondary and have trained together for 15 years.
Sunday was McKeanB次元官网网址檚 best points total at the senior level and his second straight top-five finish at senior nationals, having finished fourth in the summer.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nice to finally put a list (of dives) together,B次元官网网址� McKean said. B次元官网网址淭here have been injuries and I just havenB次元官网网址檛 been as consistent. Just 10 points off (going international). Maybe next time.B次元官网网址�
Three Boardworks members qualified for the FINA Grand Prix diving series. Rachel Kemp was third on the 10m platform and Celina Toth (Ontario) was sixth. Emma Friesen was fourth on the 3m. Shane Miszkiel (Ohio State University) came fifth on the 3m springboard. Fifteen-year-old Courtney Hattie impressed at the senior level with a top-12 finish on the 3m springboard, though the tower is her specialty, said coach McLeod.
