Roseline Filion

Early Diving Career

Roseline Filion was just nine years old when she saw Annie Pelletier win a bronze medal in the 3m dive event at the 1996 Olympic Games. Inspired by Pelletier’s win, Filion, a gymnast since the age of four, asked her parents to enroll her in a diving program. Despite her desire to compete in the 3m dive like her heroine, Filion found success on the platform dive.

Within a year of entering diving, Filion was competing at the provincial level. By 1998, she was a member of the provincial team, competing and placing well at the Junior National Championships, where she won a bronze medal in the 3m dive event. In 2001, Filion began competing in the 10m platform dive event. She found success in the event quickly, taking the silver medal at both the Junior Nationals and Junior Pan Am Games that year. In 2002, Filion won her first of many gold medals in the 10m dive at the Canada-US Junior Challenge. The following year, she competed in her first international Grand Prix event in Spain, finishing fifth in the 10m. She repeated her success at the 2003 Junior Pan Am Championships with a silver medal and won gold at the 2004 Speedo Junior Nationals.

Filion Partners with Meaghan Benfeito

In 2005, Filion began competing in synchronized diving with Meaghan Benfeito. In May, the pair placed third in the 10m synchro at the Canada Cup in Montréal, Québec, and second at the USA Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The next month, they placed third at the FINA Grand Prix Super Final in Veracruz, Mexico. Their success allowed them to compete at the 2005 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Montréal, where the pair won a bronze medal. In January 2006, Benfeito and Filion won their first Canadian title at the Winter Senior National Championships — a title they would successfully defend at the summer championships in June. That year, they also won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, and at the FINA World Cup in Changshu, China, as well as silver at the Canada Cup in Victoria, British Columbia.

First Olympic Appearance in 2008

In 2008, 12 years after her Olympic dream had begun, Filion competed as a member of Team Canada at the Beijing Olympics, alongside Benfeito. Although the pair finished in seventh place, the event gave them experience at the Olympic level, preparing them for future elite competition challenges.

International Competition, 2009–2011

In 2009, Filion and Benfeito competed in the 2009 FINA World Series, taking two silver medals and one bronze medal in the 10m synchro. The pair also won two gold medals and one silver medal on the 2009 FINA Grand Prix circuit.Filion began making her mark in individual diving events as well, finding success in the 10m dive and winning the Senior National Championships and her first individual Grand Prix medal — a silver — at the Canada Cup, followed by a gold at the USA Grand Prix.

Success continued in 2010, with Filion and Benfeito winning a medal in every event they entered. The pair intended to compete together at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, but injury required Benfeito to withdraw and Filion competed with Rachel Kemp at the Games, placing eighth.

In 2011, Benfeito and Filion won five silver medals at the FINA World Series and Grand Prix events, along with a gold medal at the Summer Nationals in Edmonton. They finished the year with a silver medal at the 2011 Pan American Games. Their success secured the Canadian team a spot in the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London. Filion also did well in individual competition, winning gold in the 10m individual dive at the Canada Cup. Her eighth-place finish at the FINA World Aquatics Championships qualified her for a spot in the 10m individual dive at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Filion and Benfeito Take Bronze at 2012 Olympic Summer Games

At the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London, Filion and Benfeito won bronze in the 10m synchro. In the final competition of the women’s 10m platform, Filion dove consistently well but was up against very strong competition and finished in 10th place.

Pan Am and Commonwealth Champions

In 2013 and 2015, Filion and Benfeito took silver in the 10m synchro at the FINA World Aquatics Championships. They also won gold in the 10m synchro at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Ontario. In December 2015, Filion broke a bone in her right ankle during a warm-up. Although she was unable to put any weight on the ankle, she continued to train. In February 2016, she competed at the FINA World Cup, qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio, Brazil.

Second Bronze Medal at the 2016 Olympic Summer Games

A the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio, Filion and Benfeito won their second consecutive bronze medal in the 10m synchro. Filion also competed in the individual 10m platform, placing sixth. Benfeito won bronze in the same event.