February 15, 2013
Emma Friesen top Canadian at diving Grand Prix
MADRID – Emma Friesen of North Vancouver, who missed two seasons of competition due to injuries and school commitments, posted an impressive sixth place finish on women’s three-metre Friday to open the FINA Grand Prix diving season.
Han Wang of China won the gold medal tabulating 345.55 points, Dolores Hernandez of Mexico was second at 329.10 and Jiao Liu of China third at 311.05. After placing fifth in preliminaries and second in her semifinal, Friesen took sixth spot in the final at 258.65.
“I wish my final would have been better but I went for it,” said Friesen, 24. “I was timid on some entries and not as confident as I should have been.”
Between 2009 and 2011, Friesen was out of diving due to ankle and shoulder surgery, an illness and her university studies. Last year she started her comeback and placed third at the Olympic trials on three-metre.
“I came back because I love diving,” she said. “There is still some unfinished business.”
Hailey Casper of Calgary was fourth in her semifinal for seventh
overall. The top three from each of the two semis advanced to the final.
On men’s 10-metre tower, China was 1-2 with Siyi Xie first and Jian Yang second.
Vincent Riendeau of Pointe-Claire, Que., was fourth in his semifinal for seventh overall and C.J. Moore of Waterloo, Ont., was fourth in the other semi for ninth overall.
“It didn’t go as well as I would have liked,” said Riendeau, 16. “I had some good dives but others were not as successful. To dive against such a high calibre field though was a great experience for me.”
