Youth Olympic Diving: Chloe Chan misses out on 3m springboard final

Story by Ng Enna/Red Sports. Photos by Tan Jon Han/Red Sports

Toa Payoh Swimming Complex, Monday, August 23, 2010 — Singapore diver Chloe Chan disappointed herself when she underperformed in the women’s 3m Springboard preliminary and failed to be part of the first 12 divers to make it to tonight’s final.

Chloe accumulated 313.95 points in nine dive sets and finished last out of 13 divers.

She admitted that she could have done better.

“It was one of my personal worst,” Chloe joked. “My coach and I both know that it was definitely nothing close to what I can do, that’s what I was disappointed about.”

The 17-year-old was unsteady in the first few rounds. She tied with Pauline Ducruet from Monaco for last after they both performed a Forward 1 1/2 Somersault Pike in the first dive set.

The competition had a touch of royalty with Princess Stephanie of Monaco and other members of her family in the stands to give their support to 16-year-old Pauline Ducruet. Ducruet later commented that her supporters gave her courage.

Chloe did better in the second dive set with an Inward 1 1/2 Somersault Pike and chalked 38.85 points to move her up to the 10th position.

However, things started to go downhill for the Anglo-Chinese Junior College student.

Chloe explained: “By my third dive, it was really rocky from the beginning. I had problems with it during trainings and I was trying not to let it get to me. But mainly it was my fourth dive – the reverse – that really threw me off track. It was really unexpected that I flew forward and I really wasn’t prepared. My whole mind was a mess after that.”

Despite her mediocre performance, Chloe managed to pick herself up for the last few rounds when other divers were starting to fall apart.

Annika Lenz from USA fell through the ranks to stand to 12th after two disastrous dives in the seventh and eighth round.

Viktoriya Potyekhina from Ukraine also had a bad entry into the water and dropped to the fifth position from third when she only scored 28.00 points in the eighth round.

On the other hand, Chloe executed an impressive Back 1 1/2 Somersault Pike to earn 42.90 points – the highest she achieved in the preliminary – to finish ninth in that round.

She appeared to be overjoyed with her execution and hugged her coach, Orla Gilmore, excitedly. However she was still unable to close the gap and came in last overall.

“I did quite badly for my first few dives which were the basics and I had them quite solid before coming into the competition. I couldn’t really get myself back in form and by the time I did in the last two, three dives, it was too late and I couldn’t really catch up,” said a disppointed Chloe.

In addition, Chloe clarified that she was also thrown off when she found out that Kieu Duong from Germany would be taking part in today’s preliminary. That brought the number of participants to 13 and whoever finishes last would have to sit out for the final.

“There were only twelve divers at first but at the last minute, there were 13. That’s when I know that I really had to fight for this and I cannot come in last. It threw me off a bit. I guess it was a bit of over confidence, in the sense that I really thought that I had it. It just goes to show that anything can happen,” Chloe shared.

Kieu Duong finished 11th to progress into the final. Nonetheless, Chloe thanked her supporters for their encouragement.

She added, “I tried my best. Sorry I did not get into the final but believe me, I would keep trying.”

The top 12 divers from the preliminary round advanced to this evening’s final, which will take place at 8.30pm. USA’s Annika Lenz, who finished 12th in the preliminary round, will get the final underway.