Today was pretty gross: WA diver Keeney on the green pool

WA diver Maddison Keeney says the Rio diving pool was more gross than ever today as she qualified for tomorrow’s 3m springboard final.

Keeney was ranked as low as 14th after failing to fire with her opening three dives in today’s semifinal.

The 20-year-old went into her fifth and final dive ranked 10th, with only the top 12 to progress.

Keeney showed her class to produce a brilliant forward two and a half somersault two twists pike to score 78.2 points and climb into fourth place.

“It was a pretty disappointing competition all round, except for my last dive,” she said. “I’m just happy I got through to the final.

“I wish I’d used that as a follow up, rather than a saviour dive to get into finals. But I’m happy, I’ve done what I needed.”

Chinese pair Tingmao Shi (385 points) and Zi He (364.05) appear the women to beat, though Keeney believes she in with a medal chance after qualifying so high, despite an underwhelming total of 326.35.

Green and blue, the offending pool. Picture: Getty Images

Teammate Esther Qin qualified through in 10th, despite disappointing final two dives.

Keeney believed the whole competition would step it up in the final.

“They are (Shi and He) always amazing and it’s my goal to be like them,” she said. “They are amazing role models “I know I can pull my dives off well. It’s all about how it goes on the day.”

There has been more talk about the diving pool itself than the competition so far in these Games after it turned green a few days in after Keeney had already won 3m synchro bronze.

It was closed yesterday for a clean up, but Keeney said it had only got worse.

Officials said today that it would be drained in a bid to solve the problem.

“Today was pretty gross,” Keeney said. “You are standing on the stairs and you can’t see your feet like one and a half metres down.

“When you’re standing up there it’s a bit off-putting, it’s just a bit unpleasant.

“I’ve never had a pool like this ever before.”

There was reportedly algae in the pool that caused it to turn green.

“I just try and close my eyes and close my mouth,” Keeney said.

“It’s probably the worst it’s been today, it was better when it was green because at least you could see the bottom.

“I don’t want to know what’s in there right now. I’m done after tomorrow and I’m hopefully not going to get back in it.”