ROSTOCK, Germany — Canada’s Meaghan Benfeito claimed the gold medal in the women’s 10-metre tower event Friday at the season-opening FINA Grand Prix diving event.
The Montreal native accumulated 360.30 points for her second career Grand Prix win. Chinese divers Jing Lin and Miya Suo finished second and third with 359.40 and 337.65 points, respectively.
Roseline Filion of Laval, Que., was fourth in 332.10.
"I’m really pleased, especially to bounce back after a tough preliminary round," said Benfeito, a two-time Olympian. "I wasn’t really expecting to come back and get the win.
"But I followed the scoring throughout the final and I knew I really needed to finish strong to hold my lead."
Filion wasn’t sharp early on but gradually gained ground through each round to almost reach the podium.
"The second dive probably cost me the medal," said Filion. "I think my experience kicked in after that and I was able to keep it together even though there was no room for error on my last three dives."
Mexico’s Jahir Ocampo won the men’s three-metre event, finishing ahead of China’s Jianfeng Peng and Ukraine’s Iliya Kvasha. Montreal’s Philippe Gagne, 17, was eliminated in the semifinals and was seventh overall.