Canada’s Jennifer Abel wins gold and World Series season title

Canada’s Jennifer Abel wins gold and World Series season title

MERIDA, Mexico- It was a big night for Canada’s Jennifer Abel at the sixth and last FINA World Series stop this season on Saturday.  

The Laval, Que., diver won her first career gold medal on the circuit placing first in mixed three-metre synchro with François Imbeau-Dulac of St-Lazare, Que.. A couple hours earlier, a fifth place finish on women’s three-metre was enough for Abel to take the season’s crown in the event.

In the mixed synchro final, a new event on the circuit this season, Abel and Imbeau-Dulac overtook the Chinese for first place in the fourth of the five- round final to win with 331.53 points. Hao Yang and Han Wang were second at 317.10 and Thomas Daley and Alicia Blagg of Britain were third at 314.82.

It is the first time the Chinese are beaten in a mixed event on either three-metre or 10-m.  Abel also finishes the season with 13 medals in mixed, synchro and individual combined, tops for the women in 2015.  The Chinese still take the season crown followed by the Canadians.

On women’s individual three-metre, Abel, who won a silver and two bronze this season on the circuit, finished atop the season standings with 76 points. Tingmao Shi of China was second at 72 and her compatriot and world champion Zi He third at 68. Shi won gold at the first four stops this season but did not compete at the final two.  Zi competed only at the last two stops.

Zi took the gold on Saturday with 380.55 points and Han Wang, also of China was second at 363.80. Abel was second entering the last round of dives but missed her reverse dive to drop from the medals.

Pamela Ware of Beloeil, Que., was ninth overall.

On men's three-metre, Philippe Gagné of Montreal and Imbeau-Dulac were eliminated in the semis and ranked ninth and 12th overall.

Mexico won its second gold of the competition finishing 1-2 with Rommel Pacheco first and Jahir Ocampo second.  Jack Laugher of Britain, sixth on Saturday, took the season title thanks to three gold medal performances this season.

Competition ends Sunday.