New mixed synchronised diving event given thumbs up by world’s top competitors

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  • In sync: Mexican pair Jahir Ocampo and Alejandra Orozco compete in the 10m platform mixed synchro event in Dubai last weekend, where they won bronze.

    The new mixed synchronised event was given a thumbs-up by top divers last weekend in Dubai, where it was introduced to the public in international competition for just the second time, following a successful debut in Beijing the previous week.

    FINA’s latest attempt to move aquatics sport forward saw the world governing body add two new events to a typical diving schedule – mixed synchro 3m springboard and mixed synchro 10m platform.

    The mixed synchro, which sees teams of one male and one female diver compete together, is being rolled out during the six-stop Diving World Series and will be part of the schedule in this summer’s World Aquatics Championships in Kazan.

    Canada’s Roseline Filion, a bronze medallist in 10m platform synchro in London 2012, is thrilled with this latest development and believes it will help improve the ladies’ level of diving.Canada’s Roseline Filion is supportive of the new discipline.

    “The synchro mixed is a very exciting event. The minute we heard of it, the Canadian team started to think who would be the best to compete on the 3m and the 10m. I don’t do it personally. My team-mates really wanted to try it so I let them do it. Maybe I’ll do it eventually,” said Filion.

    “But it’s really good because guys are jumping higher and spinning faster so for the girls it’s good to increase their performance, try to jump higher.

    “And to work in a team is always good. So it’s really helpful to improve our dives and it’s actually amazing to watch.”

    British Olympic bronze medallist, Tom Daley, is yet to feature in a mixed synchro event but is keen on giving it a go in upcoming World Series legs.

    “It was only back in 2000 when they held the first ever synchronised competition in the Olympics. So diving is constantly moving forward and I think it needs something like a mixed synchro event to be able to push it even further,” said the 20-year-old Daley.

    “It’s constantly pushing the girls to do the harder dives and get to jump as high as the guys, so that they can do a good synchro. I think it’s a massive spectacle as well. It’s something that’s making the sport interesting.

    “There’s new events, which means more medals, so people are getting more chance to compete. It’s going to be in the World Championships this year so it’s an exciting prospect. I’ve been doing little bits of training with a couple of my team-mates and I can’t wait to get out there and give it a go. Hopefully in the next couple of World Series I’ll be able to do that.”

    Kathy Seaman, the chairman of the FINA technical diving committee added: “From a FINA perspective, the mixed synchro gives another opportunity to our divers. We have a chance to move our sport even further.

    “It’s challenging, it’s exciting and we need to look at what’s next and this is really an opportunity for what’s next.”

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