Montreal diver Cédric Fofana proved he can compete with the best in the world by achieving a top-10 finish in the 3-meter synchronized diving at the World Cup in Montreal on Sunday.
• Also read: Montreal Diving World Cup: Disappointment for Quebec's Nathan Zsombor-Murray
• Also read: Plunge: “I no longer saw the light at the end of the tunnel” – Cédric Fofana
• Also read: After a serious injury, the diving hopeful wants to restart his career at his first World Cup
“It represents a new beginning,” he told reporters with his best smile. I'm really happy to have done it in front of everyone, my friends, my family, the audience. I think it can only get better.”
Things haven't been going well for Fofana since her surprising qualification for the Tokyo Olympics. On Japan's biggest sporting stage in 2021, the then 17-year-old Quebecer collapsed under the pressure and finished 29th.
Then he experienced ups and downs when he couldn't secure a ticket to a major event last year.
Fofana, now 20, took part in his first world championships in February, finishing 32nd in the 1-meter run and 34th in the 3-meter run.
Cédric Fofana Getty Images via AFP
Cross 400 points
This week he showed great consistency in the Olympic Park swimming pool and qualified for the 10-meter final thanks to a tenth place in the preliminary round.
He also finished eighth on Sunday, surpassing the 400-point mark for the first time in an international final.
“It was a milestone that I had to cross and I would like to say that it was time for me to take it! said the young man happily, who scored 416.05. Because I know I can do it. I almost always do that at nationals, I just had to be able to do it internationally.”
Getty Images via AFP
concentration
On Sunday, Fofana fluctuated between the sixth and tenth levels. Unlike two opponents, he didn't miss a jump call. He stayed focused, even when he had to wait longer than expected before his final jump.
“I thought, 'It's really valuable that this happened on my last dive because it's my hardest.' I finally got off the diving board and just woke up my legs [en sautillant]“I got back in and left,” he said.
Although he admitted to being nervous before the competition began, “Fofana did it [se] calm down, don't [se] Get distracted and stay inside [sa] Bladder”.
That's the state of mind he's been looking for this week. Mission accomplished for the man who, along with Éloïse Bélanger, Benjamin Tessier and Amélie-Laura Jasmin, helped Canada finish fifth in the team competition on Friday.
“My two performances show that I am becoming more and more consistent and that I have my place among the elite,” said Fofana.
► The Chinese Wang Zongyuan prevailed with a score of 549.50. The Tokyo Olympics silver medalist beat Mexico's Osmar Olvera Ibarra (512.75) and Britain's Jack Laugher (506.00), who was third at the last Olympics.
Cedric Fofana. Getty Images via AFP