London 2012: Jennifer Abel and Emilie Heymans win Canada’s first medals

Jennifer Abel (l) and Emilie Heymans (r) with their bronze medals. PHOTO/Canadian Press

Canada has its first medal of the London Olympics.

Divers Jennifer Abel and Emilie Heymans have claimed bronze in the women’s three-meter synchronized event.

World champions Minxia Wu and He Zi of China won gold while Americans Kelci Bryant and Abigail Johnston captured silver.

The 20-year-old Jennifer Abel, from Laval, Quebec, and Heymans won silver in the event at last year’s world championships.

Abel wins her first Olympic medal after making her Olympic debut at Beijing four years ago.

After the medal ceremony, Abel said the feeling of winning an Olympic medal had not yet sunken in.

The 30-year-old Heymans becomes the first female diver to reach the podium in four consecutive Olympic Games.

The medal on the second full day of competition is good news for a Canadian team aiming for a top-12 finish overall.

Canadian Press