Jennifer Abel

Jennifer Abel (born August 23, 1991) is a Canadian diver. She is currently partnered with Mélissa Citrini-Beaulieu for synchronized diving. She won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics in the 3 m synchro diving event with Émilie Heymans. Abel is a four-time Commonwealth Games champion in the 1 m and 3 m synchronized springboard; and is also a three-time Pan American Games champion in the 3 m springboard and 3 m synchronized springboard. Her ten medals (six silver, four bronze) at the FINA World Championships are a record for most medals by a Canadian in diving at the world championships.

Jennifer Abel
Abel at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Personal information
NationalityCanadian
Born (1991-08-23) August 23, 1991
Montreal, Quebec, Canada[1]
ResidenceLaval, Quebec, Canada[2]
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)[3]
Weight62 kg (137 lb)
Sport
CountryCanada
SportDiving
Event(s)3 m, 3 m synchro
ClubPointe-Claire Diving Club
PartnerMélissa Citrini-Beaulieu
François Imbeau-Dulac
Former partner(s)Émilie Heymans
Pamela Ware
Coached byArturo Miranda

Career

Abel became one of Canada's youngest ever divers when she had her debut Olympics at the age of 16 in the 2008 Summer Olympics.[4] Though failing to medal at the Olympic games that year, Abel did achieve success together with partner Emilie Heymans on the Grand Prix circuit, winning several medals.[5] Their work together would continue after that and Abel would gain from Heymans' experience which would build through to more Grand Prix medals through to 2010.[5]

She became the 2010 Commonwealth Games champion in both the 1 m springboard and the 3 m synchro springboard with Émilie Heymans as well as holding a 2010 Commonwealth silver in the 3 m springboard. After her positive results she said that "This was my first Commonwealth Games and I didn't expect to win so many medals. It shows I'm on the right track for the Olympics."[6] In 2011, Abel also has achieved a bronze medal and a silver medal from the world championships in the 3 m springboard and the 3 m synchro again with Heymans. She then went on to win a silver with Heymans at the 2011 Pan American Games in the 3-metre synchro event. For the year of 2011, Abel was named the Aquatic Federation of Canada's female athlete of the year.[5]

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she won a bronze medal, with her partner Heymans, in the 3 m springboard synchronized diving event.[7] On winning her first Olympic medal at the age of 20, Abel said "Since the beginning of the year we’ve been really nervous about that moment. I think it takes time to just calm down and just realize it."[8]

Abel competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, she and partner Pamela Ware won the silver medal in 3 m synchro springboard. She next competed in the 1 m springboard where she won the gold medal. Abel finished with a silver medal in the 3 m single springboard event, completing a three medal games for her. At the 2016 Summer Olympics Abel finished a frustrating fourth in both the solo and synchro 3 m springboard events.[3][9]

Following her disappointing results at the 2016 Olympics, Abel began competing with new partner Mélissa Citrini-Beaulieu. At the 2017 World Aquatics Championships they partnered to a silver medal together in their first year in the women's 3-metre synchro springboard event.[10] Abel also partnered with François Imbeau-Dulac in the mixed 3-metre synchro springboard where they won bronze. Individually, Abel also won a bronze medal at these Championships, diving to bronze medal in the 3-metre springboard. With these three medals Abel tied Alexandre Despatie for the most medals by a Canadian at the FINA World Championships.[11]

Personal life

Abel is of Haitian descent.[12] She is in a relationship with David Lemieux, former IBF middleweight boxing champion.[13]

References
  1. Jennifer Abel. sports-reference.com
  2. Jennifer Abel. nbcolympics.com
  3. Jennifer Abel Archived October 21, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. rio2016.com
  4. "Dive Canada profile". Dive Canada. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  5. "Jennifer Abel profile". Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  6. Jesse Campigotto (October 13, 2012). "Canada's Abel adds 3rd diving medal". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  7. CTV, CTV 2012 London Summer Olympics, airdate: July 29, 2012, circa 10:45am EDT
  8. "Heymans, Abel capture Canada's 1st medal at London Olympics". CBC Sports. July 29, 2012. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015.
  9. Doug Harrison (August 14, 2016). "Jennifer Abel misses Olympic diving podium in 3m springboard". CBC Sports.
  10. "Canada's Abel, Citrini-Beaulieu take world diving silver". CBC Sports. July 17, 2017.
  11. "Jennifer Abel ties Canadian diving record with mixed synchro bronze". CBC Sports. July 22, 2017.
  12. "Diver Jennifer Abel Wins Bronze for Canada". Defend Haiti. July 30, 2012. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  13. "Jennifer Abel, La Carte Cachee de David Lemieux". TVA. May 3, 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.