Canada’s Santiago 2023 diving team announced

TORONTO (August 22, 2023) – Diving Plongeon Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s diving team nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

The Team Canada diving team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is:

Athletes
Thomas Ciprick (Baie-d’Urfé, Que.)
Bryden Hattie (Victoria, B.C.)
Caeli McKay (Calgary, Alta.)
Kate Miller (Ottawa, Ont.)
Celina Toth (Victoria, B.C.)
Mia Vallée (Kirkland, Que.)
Pamela Ware (Greenfield Park, Que.)
Rylan Wiens (Saskatoon, Sask.)
Nathan Zsombor-Murray (Pointe-Claire, Que.)

The experienced team, which includes five Olympians and five world championship medallists, looks to use Santiago 2023 to continue to build on their success from the past two seasons on the road to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The nine athletes were selected for Team Canada based on their performances at the 2023 Canadian Championships, which were hosted May 26-28 at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.

Olympians and world championship medallists Caeli McKay and Pamela Ware headline the women’s diving team heading to Santiago 2023. They will lend their experience to their respective synchro partners, Kate Miller and Mia Vallée, who will both make their Pan American Games debuts. McKay and Ware look to build on their successful performances at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan where they both won individual bronze medals – McKay in 10m platform, Ware in 3m springboard – a great sign in their comebacks from a challenging Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“It’s been a very good season for me. After injuring my ankle a few weeks away from the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, I needed two years and an operation to get back on top. It really was a challenge. This season, I am feeling like I’ve regained all my potential with my new ankle. I am back at 100 percent. I am looking forward to showing what I can do at these Pan American Games. I am also looking forward to sharing this experience with my synchro partner Kate Miller. These will be her first senior Pan American Games as well,” said McKay.

The 24-year-old’s recent bronze was Canada’s first world championship in the women’s individual 10m platform event in 20 years. McKay won a silver medal at Lima 2019 on the 10m platform and the gold medal in the synchro event with now-retired partner Meaghan Benfeito.

Tokyo 2020 Olympian Nathan Zsombor-Murray looks forward to a second appearance at the Pan American Games. At Lima 2019, he captured silver in the men’s 10m synchro event alongside veteran Vincent Riendeau. The pair went on to finish fifth at Tokyo 2020. Zsombor-Murray has since teamed up with fellow Olympian Rylan Wiens. The pair made history at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest where they won a bronze medal together. It was the first time two Canadian men stood on the world podium in the 10m synchro event.

“I am proud of qualifying to represent my country at the Pan Am Games in Santiago. The multi-sport Games experience is always incredible. It is very similar to the Olympic Games. It enables us to be around athletes from different sports and it’s always a great time,” said  Zsombor-Murray, who won bronze in the men’s individual 10m platform event at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup in Montreal in early May.

By reaching the finals of their respective events at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, McKay (women’s 10m), Ware (women’s 3m) and Zsombor-Murray (men’s 10m) secured one Olympic quota spot for Canada in each of those events. The country can qualify up to two spots per individual event for Paris 2024. Gold medallists in the individual diving events at Santiago 2023 can secure a quota spot for their country, provided the specific athlete did not already qualify a spot at the world championships.

The diving events are scheduled for October 20-25 (Days 0 to 5) at the Aquatics Centre at Estadio Nacional.

“Get ready to witness the grace and power of Team Canada’s finest divers as they take the plunge at the Pan Am Games,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission. “Our squad is a blend of seasoned Olympians and world championship medalists poised to make waves, but little splash, and capture the hearts of all who watch, myself included!”

Team Canada’s diving coaches and support staff for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games are:

Coaches
Tong Hui (Montreal, Que.) – Coach
Yihua Li (Pointe-Claire, Que.) – Coach
Tommy McLeod (Victoria, B.C.) – Coach

Support staff
Eryn Barrett (Kamloops, B.C.) – Team Manager
Mitch Geller (Ottawa, Ont.) – Team Leader
Andrée Pouliot-Deschamps (Bromont, Que.) – Assistant Team Leader

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations.

The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Alexandra Piché, Communications Manager
Diving Canada
C: 514-625-5513
Email: alexandra@diving.ca

Tara MacBournie, Team Canada Santiago 2023 Sport Communications Lead
Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 647-522-8328
E: tmacbournie@olympic.ca