KUALA LUMPUR – Canada handed Pandelela Rinong-Nur Dhabitah Sabri their second blow in as many weeks by pipping the Malaysians to third place in the women’s 10m synchronised platform event at the FINA Diving World Series in Beijing today.
Meaghan Benfeito-Caeli McKay accumulated 313.14 points after five dives while Pandelela-Nur Dhabitah finished with 305.76 points at the Beijing National Aquatic Centre, which is also known as the ‘Water Cube’.
In the season-opening FINA Diving World Series in Sagamihara, Japan, last Friday, Benfeito-McKay also denied the Malaysians third spot. The Canadians had 311.70 points to the Malaysians’ 302.64.
In Beijing today, Pandelela-Nur Dhabitah performed consistently to be in the bronze-medal position with 170.40 points after three jumps, with the Canadians on 170.10 points.
But a poor jump on the fourth dive saw the Malaysians collect just 64.32 points to allow the Canadian pair to overtake them with 75.84 points.
Although the Malaysian pair did better than their Canadian rivals in the fifth and final dive, the damage was done.
China’s Lu Wei-Zhang Jiaqi (354.06 pts) clinched the gold medal while North Korea’s Kim A Rim-Kim Mi Rae (325.80 pts) finished second.
Nur Dhabitah will combine with Kimberly Bong in the women’s 3m synchronised springboard event later today before partnering Muhammad Syafiq Puteh in the mixed 3m synchronised springboard event tomorrow.
Pandelela will be back in action in the women’s 10m individual platform on Sunday.
-BERNAMA
