DIVING: Melissa Wu has won platform gold at the Australian Diving Grand Prix in Melbourne, as she looks to consolidate her place as a genuine medal prospect at next year’s Rio Olympics.
And in further good news for Australian diving, London Olympic silver medalist Brittany Broben finished second behind Wu in her best result since shoulder surgery in 2014.
But Wu and Broben had to settle for second when they teamed up for the first time to compete in the women’s platform synchro final.
They were beaten by just 0.12 points by WA’s Teju Williamson and SA’s Taneka Kovchenko.
Wu, who earned Australia its first Rio platform quota when she made the final of this year’s World Championships, finished with 369.20 points in the individual final, 40.45 points ahead of Broben, with NSW’s Brittany O’Brien third.
US-based Victorian, James Connor, was a convincing winner of the men’s platform final, finishing a massive 76.35 points ahead of his nearest challenger.
Connor finished on 459.90 points, ahead of Queensland’s Kurtis Mathews on 383.55. South Australia’s Brodie Scapens was third.
Both Broben and Connor will get the chance to earn Olympic quotas next weekend when they compete in the Oceania Championships in Melbourne.
Australia will also try and earn an Olympic quota for the women’s synchro platform event at next year’s World Cup event in Rio.
ROSS SOLLY FOR DIVING AUSTRALIA