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Diver Wu shakes off back pain for silver

Simone ZiaziarisAAP
Melissa Wu has shaken off back pain to claim silver in the Diving World Series in Canada.
Camera IconMelissa Wu has shaken off back pain to claim silver in the Diving World Series in Canada.

Australian Melissa Wu has proven her toughness by overcoming the pain of two stress fractures in her back to claim the silver medal at the Diving World Series in Canada.

Wu, who finished fifth overall at the Rio Olympics, picked up two perfect 10's with her third dive but it was her overall consistency that saw her finish between the reigning Olympics gold and silver medallists.

"I only trained my other two non-synchro dives once before my competition here in Windsor, and only decided to compete individual this week, so I was happy to put together a solid list of dives, despite not having much training behind me," Wu said.

The 24-year-old's "solid list" helped her to a total of 384, just behind Olympics silver medallist Yajie Si (390.60) and ahead of Rio Olympics gold medallist Qian Ren (360.70).

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"Before my event I was training well, but I hadn't had very much preparation before these World Series events," Wu said, adding she was "lucky" to have a training camp in Montreal to help with preparation.

"I was able to build up some strength and the camp was really beneficial before coming to Windsor for competition."

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Wu teamed up with Domonic Bedggood to snap up a bronze in the mixed platform, while Esther Qin and Anabelle Smith won bronze in the women's springboard synchro.

Maddison Keeney, who won bronze in Rio last year, picked up another two bronze medals for the three-metre springboard and the mixed springboard synchro with Kevin Chavez.

Wu was only 14 when she first made a splash in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and says she now hopes to represent Australia at her fourth Commonwealth Games, in the Gold Coast next year.

"I'm excited that Australia will be holding another Commonwealth Games and it would be amazing to represent Australia at a second home Games," Wu said.

"I have no doubt that the 2018 Commonwealth Games will be one of the best ever."

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