Jennifer Abel
Jennifer Abel (born August 23, 1991) is a Canadian former diver. She is currently partnered with Mélissa Citrini-Beaulieu for synchronized diving. She won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 3 m synchro diving event with Émilie Heymans and a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the same event with Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu. 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.
Career
[edit]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 win a 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 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] At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Abel won the women's 3 m springboard event.[12]
She qualified to represent Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[13][14] In Tokyo, Abel and partner Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu were silver medalists in the 3 m springboard event.
Abel officially announced her retirement after the Tokyo Olympics.[15]
Personal life
[edit]Abel is of Haitian descent.[16] She is in a relationship with David Lemieux, former IBF middleweight boxing champion.[17] Lemieux proposed to Abel on her return from the 2020 Summer Olympics and they are now engaged. They have 2 children. [18]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jennifer Abel". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020.
- ^ Jennifer Abel. nbcolympics.com
- ^ a b "Jennifer Abel". Rio2016.com. Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on October 21, 2016.
- ^ "Dive Canada profile". Dive Canada. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Jennifer Abel profile". Canadian Olympic Committee. September 18, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
- ^ 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.
- ^ CTV, CTV 2012 London Summer Olympics, airdate: July 29, 2012, circa 10:45am EDT
- ^ "Heymans, Abel capture Canada's 1st medal at London Olympics". CBC Sports. July 29, 2012. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015.
- ^ Doug Harrison (August 14, 2016). "Jennifer Abel misses Olympic diving podium in 3m springboard". CBC Sports.
- ^ "Canada's Abel, Citrini-Beaulieu take world diving silver". CBC Sports. July 17, 2017.
- ^ "Jennifer Abel ties Canadian diving record with mixed synchro bronze". CBC Sports. July 22, 2017.
- ^ "Diving | Athlete Profile: Jennifer ABEL - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games". results.gc2018.com. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
- ^ "Qualifying for Tokyo Olympics an unprecedented challenge because of COVID-19". torontosun. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
- ^ "ABEL Jennifer". Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
- ^ Diving Plungeon Canada. "Jennifer Abel retires from diving". SIRC. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ "Diver Jennifer Abel Wins Bronze for Canada". Defend Haiti. July 30, 2012. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
- ^ "Jennifer Abel, La Carte Cachee de David Lemieux". TVA. May 3, 2017.
- ^ "Olympic medallist Jennifer Abel gets engaged at airport after returning from Tokyo". Montreal Gazette. August 3, 2021.
External links
[edit]
- Jennifer Abel at World Aquatics
- Jennifer Abel at Diving Canada (archived)
- Jennifer Abel at Team Canada
- Jennifer Abel at Olympics.com
- Jennifer Abel at Olympedia
- Jennifer Abel at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- Jennifer Abel at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games (archived)
- Jennifer Abel at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (archived)
- Jennifer Abel at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games (archived)
- Canadian Olympic Team Reflects Canada's Multiculturalism at the Wayback Machine (archived July 22, 2012)
- 1991 births
- Living people
- Canadian female divers
- World Aquatics Championships medalists in diving
- Olympic divers for Canada
- Olympic silver medalists for Canada
- Olympic bronze medalists for Canada
- Olympic medalists in diving
- Divers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Divers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Divers at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Divers at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Commonwealth Games divers for Canada
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada
- Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Canada
- Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada
- Commonwealth Games medallists in diving
- Divers at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
- Divers at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
- Divers at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
- Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
- Medallists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
- Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
- Pan American Games gold medalists for Canada
- Pan American Games silver medalists for Canada
- Pan American Games medalists in diving
- Divers at the 2011 Pan American Games
- Divers at the 2015 Pan American Games
- Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games
- Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games
- Black Canadian sportswomen
- Francophone Quebec people
- Haitian Quebecers
- Canadian sportspeople of Haitian descent
- Sportspeople from Laval, Quebec
- Divers from Montreal