STRONG SHOWING FROM AUSTRALIA IN SPRINGBOARD FINAL

Australian diver Esther Qin has finished fourth in the Chinese-dominated final of the 3-metre springboard at the FINA World Aquatic Championships in Kazan.

And teammate Maddison Keeney finished in seventh, despite being penalised for a baulk on her second dive.

Qin, the Commonwealth Games gold medalist, was a picture of consistency throughout the final, her scores ranging from 67.50 to 72.00.

Chinese divers have dominated the women’s 3-metre event since the mid 1990’s, and that continued in Kazan.

Tingmao Shi took the gold with 383.55, ahead of teammate Zi He on 377.45.

Italy’s Tania Cagnotto took the bronze with 356.15, with Qin on 347.20.

Maddison Keeney was left to rue a mistake on her second dive, which attracted an automatic two-point deduction from each scorer.

It dropped the 19-year-old back to last position, but she fought back bravely to finish the competition in seventh place.

She notched up the highest score of the final round, but was too far back to challenge for a medal.

Earlier this week Keeney scored a zero after missing her last dive in the 1-metre final.

Keeney will have one last chance to pick up a medal in Kazan, when she teams up with Grant Nel to contest the 3-metre mixed synchro on Sunday, the final day of competition.

Gold Coast’s Domonic Bedggood has qualified Australia another diver for the Rio Olympics, after he qualified in eighth position for Sunday’s platform final.

Teammate James Connor missed a finals spot and an Olympic qualifier by just one position, finishing the semi-final 13th.