The clock was approaching 9 p.m. in Fukuoka, Japan on Friday, and Montrealer Pamela Ware was about to slip under the sheets of her bed and let herself be cradled in the arms of Morpheus. She was going to do it with a light heart and maybe even with a smile on her face. The same state of mind, in fact, which had allowed him to climb on the third step of the podium of a major international competition a few hours earlier.
After a fourth-place finish in the 1-metre springboard last Saturday and a fifth-place finish in the synchronized 3-metre springboard with Mia Vallée on Monday, Ware won the bronze medal in the three-metre springboard at the FINA World Aquatics Championships.
The 30-year-old completed her five dives with a total score of 332.00 points, just over nine points behind silver medalist Chang Yani of China (341.50).
The gold medal went to Chen Yiwen, also of China, with a cumulative score of 359.50 points.
This is the second medal for Canada at the World Aquatics. On Wednesday, Alberta diver Caeli McKay was also able to climb to the third step of the podium at the end of the competition on the 10-meter platform.
For Ware, it is also a fourth career podium finish at the FINA World Championships and her first since 2015.
A podium which materialized at the end of a day which had started well and which made her optimistic.
“I felt great this morning when I woke up and knew I was going to have a great day. And that’s what happened. I had a wonderful day,” Ware described in a phone interview with The Canadian Press.
“Of course I can do better, my dives weren’t like what I do in training, she also admitted, but I’m really proud of what I was able to do today. I stayed calm the whole ordeal. I was happy, I had a smile on my face the whole time (of the competition) and that was really my goal this week. Be happy and confident. And that’s what I did today and the rest of the week too. »
Over time, Ware realized that his performance, both in training and in competition, depended on his state of mind.
“I realized that when I was having fun, I dive better. My goal this week for the competition was really to have fun and not put too much pressure on myself. If I had too much pressure on me, I knew I wasn’t going to have fun, “said the Quebec athlete.
While much of his success has come from his own perspective, Ware is also quick to credit his new coach, Hui Tong.
“He’s only been my coach for a year and a half and our relationship is wonderful,” she said in a statement from Diving Canada.
“He makes me laugh so much, he makes me happy in training and in competition. Before diving in competition, he makes me smile on the springboard and it makes me feel so good. Thanks to him, I found the love of my sport again and I am really, really happy that he is my coach. »
Over the past few days, Ware had earned fourth place in the 1m springboard and fifth place in the 3m synchronized springboard along with partner Mia Vallée.
On Friday, Ware completed the first of five rounds of the Grand Finals tied for the top of the standings with Japan’s Sayaka Mikami with a score of 67.50. However, she didn’t know that.
“I try not to watch the results too much during the competition so I don’t think about it too much,” she clarified.
“After my dive, I look at (the board), but then I knew it went well. […] I knew I would be in the “tops”, but I didn’t know if I was going to be third or fourth. »
Needless to say, Ware was extremely proud of her result on Friday.
“It really shows that I’ve worked hard over the past two years to get to where I am today,” she said.
Following his achievement, however, Ware needs a brief break. For this reason, she has chosen to skip the mixed 3m springboard competition with Bryden Hattie, which will take place on Saturday.
His next competition is August 4-6 at the Diving World Cup Super Final in Berlin.
“I decided it was not the right time to do a competition like that since we have Berlin in two weeks. I want to stay another two weeks in top form. Looks like I’m a little too tired and my body is holding up a little less well today,” she said.
In addition, Ware’s performances in the 3-metre springboard in Fukuoka ensure that Canada will have a representative in this event at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
