Canada's Abel wins women's 1m springboard gold
Jennifer Abel on Tuesday won the Commonwealth Games women's 1m springboard diving, as Canada added another gold to its collection.
The 19-year-old from Laval took the title with a winning score of 301.75. Australia's Sharleen Stratton was in silver with Canada's Emilie Heymans in bronze position.
The win caps a good year for Abel. She picked up silver on the 3m springboard and bronze in the 3m synchro with Heymans at the Spain Grand Prix. The pair also won bronze at the FINA World Cup.
"I was really nervous coming into my last dive. I was shaking," said Abel. "My last dive was the first time I've done it in the final of a competition, so I was especially nervous. I feel really great now."
Stratton, 23, praised Abel and Heyman for their performance as part of a strong Canadian team.
"It's so unfortunate that the Canadians are diving so well. They're great competition and full credit to them," she said. "I gave it everything today."
Heyman, 28, won silver at the 3m springboard at the Manchester Games in 2002 and bronze in the 10m platform in Melbourne four years ago. She also has two Olympic silvers and a bronze to her name.
Canada and Australia dominated diving in the last Games in Melbourne in 2006 and Abel's win comes after a controversial decision earlier Tuesday not to award a bronze medal to Eric Sehn and Kevin Geyson in the men's 10m synchro.
The duo finished just behind Australia's Matthew Mitcham and Ethan Warren in the competition that was won by England's Tom Daley and Max Brick.
Alexandre Despatie has continued his winning streak in the Games by taking both the 1m and 3m springboard title, taking his Commonwealth gold medal tally to eight since making his first appearance as a 13-year-old in Kuala Lumpur.
Reuben Ross, also from Canada, came second in the 3m springboard.
Despatie and Ross will go for gold again in the men's 3m synchro final.
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