Canadian FABIV Roseline Filion wins gold at FINA World Series diving meet

Canadian FABIV Roseline Filion wins gold at FINA World Series diving meet

LONDON – Two-time Olympian Roseline Filion of Laval, Que., won the gold medal on Sunday on women’s 10-metre tower by the smallest margin of victory ever on the FINA World Series diving circuit.
 
It was Filion’s first career World Series victory and the second week in a row a Canadian has won the event.  Last week in Russia, Meaghan Benfeito of Montreal took gold.  The World Series is in its 12th year and is reserved to the top-eight ranked divers in the world in each event.  
 
Filion totalled 379.15 points for the win with Huixia Liu of China, the world champion on 10-metre synchro in 2013, second at 378.70.  The previous smallest gap was 1.15 points in 2009. Tonia Couch of Britain was third at 357.80.
 
"Tonight I showed I am up there with the top in the world," said Filion, who has competed at 24 World Series events in her career.  She had placed fifth at the three previous meets this season.  
 
"I knew by the way I was diving it was going well and I would have a great result.  But the victory is still unexpected.  It all comes down to improving all the small details in each dive."
 
Filion grabbed the lead in the fourth round nailing her armstand dive for 84.15 points, her best score of the night.  She followed up with another solid twisting dive to maintain the lead over Liu.
 
It is the first time since 2008 that China loses back-to-back World Series stops on women’s tower.
 
"I think the Chinese are starting to feel the pressure," she said.  "But my objective is the same.  Concentrate on my dives and the results will follow."
 
World tower champion Ruolin Chen of China was eliminated in the semifinal as was Benfeito.
 
Chen still leads the overall standings after four of six events with 56 points followed by Couch at 54 and Liu at 53.  Filion is fourth and Benfeito fifth.
 
On men’s 10-metre tower, Thomas Daley of Britain took the gold while Vincent Riendeau of Pointe-Claire, Que., was sixth in the final.  Maxim Bouchard was eliminated in the semifinal for 10th overall.
 
Benfeito and Riendeau were fifth on mixed 10-m synchro.
 
The next stop on the circuit is May 22-24 in Windsor, Ont.