Filion and Benfeito win diving silver at world championship
BARCELONA – Roseline Filion of Laval, Que., and Meaghan Benfeito of Montreal earned the best international result of their eight-year career together on Monday winning the silver medal in the women’s 10-metre synchro at the FINA World Aquatic Championships.
"It feels great to get that medal," said Filion, 26, who won the Olympic bronze with Benfeito last year. "We’ve overcome a lot of challenges over the years and to have back-to-back international successes is very rewarding."
Ruolin Chen and Huixia Liu of China prevailed for the gold at 356.28 followed by the Canadian veterans in second at 331.41. They inched by Pandalela Rinong Pamg and Mun Yee Leong of Malaysia who were third at 331.14.
Chen has been part of the 10-m synchro winning tandem at the last two Olympics and last four world championships.
The Chinese were first through all five rounds while Filion and Benfeito appeared on track for third. But their final twisting dive earned them 81.60 points which tied them with the Chinese for the best dive of that round to overtake the Malaysians.
"After our third dive was a bit subpar we just told each other to dive like we do in practice," said Benfeito, 24. "The last two have been big point getters for us this year so we knew we could stay in the medal mix."
Filion and Benfeito’s bronze in London was their first big international success since placing third at the 2005 world championships in Montreal when they were teenagers. They were fourth at the 2007 and 2009 worlds and seventh in 2011.
"We are like sisters," said Filion. "We know each other really well and work well together. We’ve gone through many challenges in our career and gained some valuable experience. It has allowed us to be consistent at this level for a long time."
It is Canada’s second diving medal of the competition and third overall. On Saturday, Jennifer Abel of Laval, Que., and Pamela Ware of Beloeil, Que., took bronze on women’s three-metre synchro.
Ware goes for a second medal on Tuesday in the women’s one-metre final.
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2qhkct2zi70zb90/aXe629QlWJ
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For more information:
Jeff Feeney
Diving Plongeon Canada
C: +34 65 161 2740 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 
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Twitter: @jjfeens
Skype: DPCFeeney
