Sharleen Stratton and Alexandra Croak
The Australian Open Diving Championships at Sleeman Sports Complex in Chandler was opened by The Hon Chris Bombolas MP State member for Chatsworth at 1pm on Friday 27th of February. This included a march on of all the competitors including the New Zealand and Chinese teams.
He wished all the officials and competitors good luck for the championships, particularly for the FINA World Championships in Rome in July 2009, The Commonwealth Games in New Deli 2010 and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
The opening morning’s 1 metre preliminaries saw Sharleen Stratton and Alexandra Croak coming first and second in the event.
Olympic gold medallist Matthew Mitcham of New South Wales got his campaign got off to a good start when he blitzed the field in the men’s preliminary 1 metre springboard event with a total score of 416.8 ahead of his closest rival Ethan Warren of Queensland with 374.10.
Day 2 of the 2009 Australian Open Diving Championships continued with Matthew Mitcham (NSW) chasing his 3rd gold medal in his favourite event the Men’s 10 metre platform. At the end of today’s semi final, Mitcham was leading the field with a score of 1050.45. He will carry that score forward to the final which will be held later this afternoon. He was being pushed by Chinese diver Yang Jian, Y in second place with 1001.00.
“I’m really pleased with my form at the moment” Mitcham said. “I still have to keep my nerve to win the event today. There are 2 Chinese divers pushing me hard” he said.
Yu Ai Yang, Matthew Mitcham, Yang Jian
Mitcham collected 2 perfect 10’s in his final dive – a 2 ½ somersault with a 2 ½ twist.
Sharleen Stratton (QLD) continued her winning form from day one with an impressive performance in the Women’s 3 metre springboard event.
At the end of the semi final, Stratton led the field with a win of 376.00 points, giving her an interim score of 732.30 and the outright lead going into this afternoon’s final.
“I am really happy and confident with the way I am performing today” she said. “The Chinese diver Fang Min is pressuring me, as is my Olympic team mate Briony Cole” Stratton said.
In 2nd place with an interim score of 665.40 is Chinese diver Fang Min, closely followed in 3rd place by Briony Cole (VIC).
At the midway point of the final day of the 2009 Australian Open Diving Championships, gold medal Olympian Matthew Mitcham (NSW) continued his good form to lead into the final of the Men’s 3 metre springboard event.
Mitcham is on track to pick up his 4th gold medal of the meet when he takes to the springboard again.
Behind Mitcham is team mate Grant Nel (VIC) followed by Li Jin Cong of China.
In the Women’s 10 metre platform semi final, Olympian Melissa Wu (NSW) clawed back her form to lead the semi finals. She dived strongly in the semi finals to move from 3rd to 1st place, ahead of Chinese diver Li Sibei and Olympic team mate Alexandra Croak.
Article: DIVING AUSTRALIA AFP Photographer: DIVING AUSTRALIA
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