Wiens and Zsombor-Murray ready to dive for the podium again at Paris 2024
Two Canadian divers are looking to add to their personal medal collection after making their way through to the semifinal round in the men’s 10m platform.
Ryan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray both got into the top 18 in the preliminary round on Friday.
Wiens had the third-highest score of the day, tallying 485.25 points, and bringing him into the conversation for medal contention. Zsombor-Murray, meanwhile, qualified easily with a score of 407.20 points. He had the 10th highest score of the day.
Wiens and Zsombor-Murray won bronze together in men’s synchronized 10m platform diving earlier at the Games.
Speaking about the pressure that comes with an earlier medal, Zsombor-Murray said it didn’t come into focus.
“After synchro we had two days to kinda take it all in. After that I’ve tried to forget about the synchro medal,” he said. “Individual is a whole ‘nother game […] I don’t feel more pressure, I’m just excited to be here.”
Wiens concurred with that approach.
“Mentally, I just get rid of all the bronze medal stuff that I had in my room. You know, packed it away to bring home, and pretty much reset after two days after that, and came in like it’s a new competition. A whole new event,” he said.
Wiens and Zsombor-Murray’s bronze was the first Canadian men’s diving medal since Alexandre Despatie’s silver in the 3m springboard event in Beijing 2008.
“It’s the Olympic Games, anything can happen,” Zsombor-Murray said. “Once one dive is done, it’s out of my mind. It’s come and gone and then it’s completely focused on the next dive.”
The semifinals will take place Saturday at 4 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. local. Should the Canadians land within the top 12, they will qualify for the final later in the day at 9:00 a.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. local.