A few points kept diver Molly Carlson from taking home gold but it was enough to get her on the Canadian team for the Junior Pan American Championships.
The 14-year-old local diver took silver in the Group B girl’s three-metre dive at the Speedo Junior Elite National Diving Championships Sunday. Calgary’s Caeli McKay took first place with 441.70 points -- 1.80 points ahead of Molly.
Molly also earned a bronze in the tower dive as well as coming in sixth in the one-metre dive.
Adding all that together landed her a spot on the Canadian team for the Junior Pan American games in Arizona in September.
Molly, who has been to the games twice before, said she was excited to go back.
“I dove as well as I could,” she said. “I made a small mistake but everyone makes mistakes. I’m really happy with my results. It’s a bit disappointing not to come in first but I get to go to the Pan Am junior games. This is my third time going to the games and they’re really fun and I get to see all my other friends.”
Molly said she felt overwhelmed with the amount of support from the local audience and was proud to bring home a silver and bronze.
She said that her goal is to dive the best she can at the games and if she takes home a medal that’s fine with her.
“Just representing Canada will be awesome,” she said.
Molly’s coach Mike Lang said he was proud of the way she and Helena Heiskanen performed over the weekend.
Lang felt Molly’s mistake was his fault.
Molly was leading the scoreboard before he went over to give some advice. He said she stretch out too much, miss her mark and received a lower score.
He said he probably should have just left her alone.
Lang announced that he would stepping down as head coach of the diving club but he said he wasn’t sure if he would be going with Molly to Arizona.
“I could be going but it’s an outdoor meet and I’m allergic to the outdoors,” he said jokingly. “I don’t really know. I would like to go.”
