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CHAVEZ MAKES HIS MARK IN FIRST EVENT FOR AUSTRALIA
Published Thu 26 May 2016
CHAVEZ MAKES HIS MARK IN FIRST EVENT FOR AUSTRALIA
Kevin Chavez, who was cleared to dive for Australia just ten days ago, sits at the top of the springboard leaderboard after the first day of competition at the Australian Rio Nomination trials in Melbourne.
Chavez, who was born in Mexico, received the all-clear from diving’s world governing body, FINA, to try and qualify for Rio.
Chavez finished top of the leaderboard in the preliminary round, and then followed up by posting the highest score in the semi-finals of the 3-metre springboard at Aquanation in Melbourne.
24-year-old Chavez won a bronze medal diving for Mexico at the 2013 World Championships.
London 2012 Olympian James Connor finished runner up in both events, with 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Grant Nel in third.
Two-time Olympian, Melissa Wu, and 2012 Olympic silver medallist Brittany Broben dominated the women’s platform competition, posting the top two scores in the preliminary and semi-final rounds.
The finals of the men’s springboard and the women’s platform will be held on Saturday morning.
Australia has qualified two positions in each of the individual events in Rio, as well as one team for the women’s 3-metre synchro.
Photograph courtesy of Barbi Donnet-Carver
