Australian diving champion Cassiel Rousseau is stepping up his game for the 10m platform final in Paris, putting him in prime position to compete for a spot on the podium.
The 2023 world champion had recorded nine consecutive dives in the 70s before recording three in the 80s in Saturday morning's Olympic semifinal.
His consistent performances saw him advance to the afternoon's 12-man medal round as the fourth-ranked challenger to the tournament that Australia's Matthew Mitcham shocked the world to win in 2008.
His 469.25 points from six dives were still just shy of the 520.85 points Rousseau earned to win gold at last year's world championships in Fukuoka, and the 23-year-old former child circus dancer is keen to downplay his chances at this Olympics.
Still, Rousseau, whose grandfather Michel won a cycling gold medal for France at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, is well positioned to add a few silver medals to his family's Olympic collection at the games later Saturday at the Paris Aquatic Centre.
China's world and Olympic champions Cao Yuan (504) and Yang Hao (490.55) came out on top as expected.
But there were signs of tension after neither finished in the top three in their first-round dives, with the pair under added pressure from China, who were seeking an unprecedented outright victory in the eighth and final event of the program.
Japan's Rikuto Tamai (477.00) earned his highest score on his sixth dive, overtaking the Australians for third place, while Canada's Rylan Wiens (468.40) was fifth.
Jackson Bowsher (379.40), 18, from Adelaide, stayed inside the top 10 until a tough final two runs saw him finish 16th and was on track for an impressive final appearance.
