DIVING: London Olympian Anabelle Smith and debutant Maddison Keeney have claimed Australia's fifth medal of the Rio 2016 Games in the 3m synchronised springboard event.

The duo finished on 299.19 points, behind Chinese gold medallists Shi Tingmao and Wu Minxia and Italy’s Tania Cagnotto and Francesca Dallape in silver.

The pair were in fifth place heading into the last round before their fifth and final dive, a forward two and half somersault one twist pike, put them into medal contention with a total of 299.19. Only Canada was yet to dive.

Canadians Jennifer Abel and Pamela Ware’s final dive score of 47.28 wasn’t enough to push Keeney and Smith off the podium, with the Aussies holding on by one point.

Smith said they were shocked and surprised when they realised what had happened in the final minutes of the competition.

“We both feel like we’re dreaming and it’s not really real because we thought we weren’t really in with a medal chance after our first couple of dives. But we obviously just had fun there and we hung on the whole time," she said.

“It’s crazy because I think we both thought that our last dive wasn’t that good, like I felt really far forward and I came up thinking oh I’m going to be so much farther forward than Madi (Keeney) and then she said the same thing.”

Keeney said it was all about enjoying it once they thought they were out of medal contention.

“We saw we were fifth place after the fourth round and just went out there and enjoyed it and Anabelle was like they (Canada) only need 69 points to come ahead of us and in my head I was like that’s quite a bit.

“The coaches are unbelievable; they’ve always got hope and they’ve always got faith and cheer us on and they always say don’t worry about it, focus on this dive and that’s what we did, and it was just awesome.”

Smith paired with Sharleen Stratton four years ago in London where they finished fifth in the same event.  This result is the first medal in 12 years in the women’s 3m synchronised, with Irina Lashko and Chantelle Newbery the last pair to win bronze, at Athens 2004.

Keeney will next compete in the individual 3m springboard on Day 7 (Friday August12).

She said a medal in her first event had given her confidence going into the individual, where she is tipped to take home another medal.

“I just feel like I’ve given it my all today and then I can give it my all individually and I know I can go home with no regrets knowing that I’ve done my best and I’ll do my best in the individual.”

Annie Kearney

olympics.com.au