Cohen dives into the medals at Summer Games

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This article was published 16/08/2022 (217 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEGGER Adam Cohen was one of the youngest athletes at the Canada Summer Games when he debuted as a 12-year-old in his hometown five years ago.

He returned to the Games Tuesday and he made his experience count with a silver-medal performance in the male artistic diving event at the Etobicoke Olympium.

His score of 219.70 trailed only Quebec’s Chris Booler, who earned gold with a 229.75.

Later in the day, he joined Manitoba teammates Alex Tiaglei, Attila Bernatsky, Leia Berman to claim bronze in the mixed team event.

Attila Bernatsky was 12th in the male artistic event while Bennett Sime-Surcon was 16th.

Meanwhle, Manitobans Zita Bernatsky, Berman and Nathalie Cromwell finished 13th, 15th and 17th, respectively, in the female artistic event.

“I know the atmosphere, I know what it’s like to have all the teams together from the provinces and all the loud cheering for the provinces and just the whole vibe of Canada Games goes,” said Cohen by phone. “I think that definitely helped me.”

The artistic diving event is new entry to the Games and it includes five dives compulsory dives with a lower degree of difficulty off of a three-metre springboard.

“I think I was really consistent today,” said Cohen, a 17-year-old entering Grade 12 at St. John’s-Ravenscourt this fall. “It was definitely my best and most consistent sets of simple dives that have competed with.”

Added Manitoba diving coach Dallas Ludwick: “I would say that this was personal best performance for him. In terms of those more simple dives, it was a really, really good set of five dives for him.”

Cohen may not be done yet. He’ll compete in the male three-metre event Wednesday morning and is also entered in the one-metre and platform events later in the week.

“Obviously it’d be great to win more medals,” said Cohen. “I’m just going to try to do my best and listen to my coach and go for a personal best and if I get a medal, then I’ll be super happy.”

The mixed team event included five compulsory and five optional dives off a three-metre springboard.

“In the team event, no one really knew what to expect,” said Ludwick. “We coaches were kind of joking beforehand, saying, ‘Well, we’ll see how this goes.’ We’ve never done an event anything like that. There were a lot of rules about what you had to cover in terms of different types of dives, different difficulties of dives, different directions of dives and covering them on one-meter, three-meter and platform. We really had to strategize.”

— Women’s volleyball: Manitoba claimed victory in its opening game with Quebec, winning 25-22, 25-11, 25-23.

— Men’s volleyball: Quebec beat Manitoba in a five-set marathon, prevailing 18-25, 19-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-11.

— Male softball: Manitoba split its two games on opening day, beating Alberta 7-0 before dropping a 10-2 decision to Saskatchewan.

— Cycling: In the female individual time trial, Manitoba’s Sophie MacDonald finished ninth in a time of 19:51.55. MacDonald was followed by Eryn Guenter in 20th place.

In the male individual time trial, Ewan Jakob Dalling (21st), Matthaeus Dyck (29th), Adam Smith (31st), Aiden Gauthier (35th) and Loic Savard (44th) competed for Manitoba.

Male box lacrosse: Parker De La Ronde, Taite Peterson, Ty Woods and Alexander De La Ronde scored for Manitoba in a 4-4 tie with Saskatchewan.

Later, Parker De La Ronde scored twice and Jack Derrett, Mason Harmatiuk and L Chabluk added singles in a 5-3 win over New Brunswick.

— staff