Mia Valley narrowly falls short in China's championship
Infused Article:
Mia Vallée landed a commendable semi-final finish in the 3m springboard event at the FINA Diving World Cup in Beijing, China, last Sunday. This tournament, however, was distinctive, boasting an elimination-style format where athletes squared off in duels following three preliminary dives. The victors then moved on to the semi-finals, showcasing two dives, and the top two from each round tackled the final, resetting scores for a five-dive battle.
Vallée strategically premiered her best three dives against Cuban competitor Anisley Garcia Navarro in the duel, which propelled her to the semi-finals via a 195.60 victory over Navarro's 171.90. Despite dominating four of her five dives, Vallée's semi-final journey concluded against Chinese diver Jia Chen (353.55) and Italian diver Chiara Pellacani (315.65). In her critique, Vallée admitted, "I missed my last dive and that's what ensnared my spot in the final. I'm a bit disheartened by that, but my other four dives were fantastic and I was genuinely satisfied with them."
Pellacani and Vallée were virtually tied after the fourth dive, and Vallée felt as though she required those 7.5s Pellacani received. Vallée, though, remained composed about her exclusion from the final round:
"It would have been exciting to make the final, but my primary goal since the beginning of the year has been more to have fun and execute my best on my five dives because that's what I can control."
China's Jia Chen (382.05) continued her impressive performance, securing the championship ahead of compatriot Yiwen Chen (368.40) and Australian Maddison Keeney (359.15). Canadian Amélie-Laura Jasmin (159.30) saw her day conclude in the preliminary round, losing to the eventual silver medalist who scored an astonishing 220.50 points.
In the men's tower event, Benjamin Tessier confronted Spanish diver Jorge Rodriguez Ledesma, who edged Tessier with a score of 213.60 to Tessier's 206.20. Chinese divers Zifeng Zhu (571.90) and Zilong Cheng (542.30) then claimed the top two positions in the final, leaving Australian diver Cassiel Rousseau (499.65) trailing behind.
Following her Beijing stint, Vallée will return to Miami to complete her Master's degree in marine biology and continue her training for the Canadian Championships in two weeks in Saskatoon. The championships serve as a qualifier for the World Championships, and Vallée will be vying for spots on the 1m and 3m springboards for Canada's team at the FINA World Championships in Singapore in July.
Fun fact: The 2025 World Aquatics Diving World Cup was a testament to China's dominance, as they secured five golds on the first day of the Super Final in Beijing[1]. Additionally, the head-to-head competition format was introduced in this event for the men’s 3m springboard and women’s 10m platform[1]. Britain's Harding/Laugher and British diver Jordan Houlden also had impressive performances during the championships[3][4].
- Mia Vallée, despite missing her last dive in the final round, expressed satisfaction with her performance at the French diver's Master's degree program in marine biology in Miami.
- During the FINA Diving World Cup, French diver Benjamin Tessier engaged in a close duel with Spanish counterpart Jorge Rodriguez Ledesma, narrowly losing the encounter.
- Following the FINA Diving World Cup, Mia Vallée will prepare for the Canadian Championships in Saskatoon, aiming to secure a spot on the Canadian team for the 1m and 3m springboards at the FINA World Championships in Singapore, where China, represented by divers like Zifeng Zhu and Zilong Cheng, is expected to showcase their dominance.
