DRESDEN, Germany – For the second straight season Molly Carlson of Thunder Bay has won an international gold medal. Carlson has placed first in Sunday’s women’s three-metre springboard for the 16-18 age group to conclude the 26-country International Youth Diving Meet.
Carlson, the 14-15 age group champion at the Junior Pan Am Championships last year, took the gold with 441.30 points.
Louisa Stawczynski of Germany second at 438.00 and Ganna Krasnosshlyk of Ukraine third at 432.80. “I wasn’t expecting to finish on top,” said Carlson, who turns 16 in September.
“It was crazy. I made sure I didn’t know the scores during the competition so I wouldn’t get too excited for any of my dives,” stated Carlson.
Frédérique Lalonde of Montreal was fifth with 418.85 points.
“It went very well,” said Lalonde, celebrating her 18th birthday on Sunday. “Three-metre is not my best event so it’s nice to get good results.” Wessel Brussen of Montreal was sixth on men’s 14-15 one-metre and Ethan Pitman of Edmonton ninth on men’s 16-18 tower.
“I struggled with my compulsories and it was all about making a comeback from that,” said Brussen. “Still overall it was a great international experience for me. I put my name out there.”
The Canadian junior team ends the competition with two gold and three bronze. The gold medallists were Carlson and Vincent Chartier of Terrebonne, Que., on men’s 14-15 platform and the bronze medallists, Alexandre Corriveau of Terrebonne on men’s 14-15 platform, Olivia Chamandy and Lindsay Leonard of Montreal on women’s three-metre synchro and Madison Sthamann of White City, Sask., on women’s 16-18 10-metre.
Full results available at: www.sportlicht.net/event/live/result.php?event_id=133
Carlson also competed in the Women’s Group A 1 Metre event (Saturday), finishing 17th overall.
Carlson returns home, to Thunder Bay, late Monday evening (April 28th).
The next competition for TBDC is in Winnipeg the weekend of May 16-18, Summer Senior National Championships.
