Keeney’s glorious springboard to Olympic silver
Maddison Keeney has dived to a superb Olympic silver in the women’s 3m springboard event in Paris for the biggest prize of her medal-laden career.
The 28-year-old from Perth, who won a bronze in the springboard synchro event in 2016, added a second medal with a fine performance at the Olympic Aquatics Centre on Friday, beaten only by another of the seemingly invincible Chinese, Chen Yiwen.
Keeney, who’s enjoyed a decade-long career with considerable success, especially with her synchro partner Anabelle Smith, scored 343.10 from her five-dive program as Chen proved a runaway winner with 376.00.
But it was a mark of Keeney’s quality that she was able to beat the other Chinese diver Chang Yani (318.75) into the bronze medal posution.
Needing to nail her final, most difficult dive – a forward two-and-a-half somersaults with two twists – Keeney, who won three medals at this year’s world championships, did just that, producing barely a splash as she entered the pool.
It scored her 78.20 points, her best effort of the competition, as she looked close to tears while being embraced by the Australian coaching staff.
It was the seventh Chinese triumph out of seven diving finals contested in Paris, making them overwhelming favourites to complete an eight-event clean sweep in the men’s 10m platform event on Saturday.
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