Two-time Olympic diver Riley McCormick of Victoria is going to the 2013 FINA world aquatic championships, but not quite in the way he anticipated.
The Claremont grad, currently diving in the NCAA at Arizona State and studying for law school, competed in the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and made the final at the 2012 London Olympics in 10-metre.
But following surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, and unable to perform the handstands required on the tower, McCormick switched to the springboard events for this year. And to great effect.
On Friday, the Islander became the national one-metre springboard champion at the Canadian trials taking place in Quebec City. He followed that up Saturday by placing second behind Olympian Francois Imbeau Dulac of Montreal in the three-metre springboard.
As a result, McCormick will compete in both the one- and three-metre events at the world championships July 19 to Aug. 4 in Barcelona.
