KEENEY SHOWS DIVING WORLD WHAT SHE’S CAPABLE OF

Australia’s diving stocks are continuing to rise in the lead-up to the Rio Olympics, with Perth teenager Maddison Keeney finishing a close fourth in the final of the women’s 3-metre springboard at the World Cup in Brazil.

19-year-old Keeney recovered from a disappointing second dive to finish with three high scoring dives to grab fourth place, just two points behind Canadian bronze medallist, Jennifer Abel.

Keeney was second last in the 12-strong final after two dives.

China’s Tingmao Shi and Zi He took the gold and the silver medals.

Keeney’s fourth placing in the Olympic-class field follows on from bronze medals for Melissa Wu in the women’s platform, and for the ultra-consistent Esther Qin and Samantha Mills in the women’s 3-metre synchro.

“I was much more relaxed than I was in the semi-final,” Keeney said.

“After my second dive I thought ‘well I’m pretty much done for this comp, I just wanted to finish my last three dives as well as I could for myself’.

“I’ve been training pretty well, I think I’ve improved quite a lot in the past six months since worlds, but I know I’ve got a bit to go.”

The result is also a breakthrough for an athlete with unlimited potential but who has always struggled with nerves.

Keeney attempts dives very few other divers in the world would try, including a final dive of a forward-facing 2.5 somersaults with two twists in a pike position.

Only one other diver, Canada’s Abel, attempted that dive in the final, and if successful, the rewards can be enormous.

“For me I know it’s a bit of a cushion, I know I can do it pretty well and that I can get a pretty good score without doing anything too special,” Keeney said.

In more good news for Australia, Commonwealth Games synchro gold medallist, Domonic Bedggood, finished fifth in the preliminary round of the men’s platform, and will dive in the semi finals tomorrow morning, Australian time.