MERIDA, Mexico — Olympic bronze medallists Montreal’s Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion of Laval, Que., won silver in the 10-metre synchro event on Friday at the sixth and final stop on the FINA World Series diving circuit.
Yajie Si and Jie Lian of China held on for gold with 333.72 points, overcoming a poor start which had them sitting fifth after the second round. The Canadians, who were first or second the entire final, followed at 328.41 and Mun Yee Leong and Jun Hoong Cheong of Malaysia were third at 312.90.
The Chinese took the season title in the event while Benfeito and Filion, the all-time leading medallists in World Series competition with 23, followed in second spot. They stepped on the podium in five of six events.
Canada added a bronze on women’s three-metre synchro with Jennifer Abel of Laval and Pamela Ware of Beloeil, Que., third with 305.64 points. Zi He and Han Wang of China took the gold at 325.80 followed by Esther Qin and Samantha Mills of Australia in third at 314.70.
The Canadians scored well on their last dive, a forward two-and-a-half somersault with two twists in pike position earning 7.0’s and 8.0’s. They are the only female pair to execute the dive in competition and it is the most difficult, rated at 3.4 for the event.
On the men’s side, Francois Imbea-Dulac of St-Lazare, Que., and Montreal’s Philippe Gagne came within two points of the podium, placing fourth at 415.17.
He Chong and He Chao of China took the gold at 436.53, Rommel Pacheco and Jahir Ocampo of Mexico were second at 420.99 and Patrick Hausding and Stephan Feck of Germany placed third at 417.63.
On men’s 10-metre synchro, Gagne and Vincent Rindeau of Pointe-Claire, Que., equalled their best result this season, placing fourth. Germany’s Sanchez and Ivan Garcia of Mexico were the winners.
The Chinese pair Xiaohu Tai and Junjie Lian struggled on two dives and wound up sixth.