Canada's Zsombor-Murray, Wiens dive into synchro partnership at Grand Prix in Calgary

Two Olympic divers from Canada are about to take their new partnership out for an international spin.

Pointe-Claire, Que., native Nathan Zsombor-Murray and Rylan Wiens of Saskatoon, Sask., who made their Olympic debuts last summer in the 10-metre tower, will compete in synchronized diving together for the first time when the FINA Grand Prix in Calgary starts Thursday.

"This is super-cool," Zsombor-Murray said Wednesday after a training session at the MNP Community and Sport Centre. "I'm doing synchro with a guy who's basically my age and we have very similar technique.

"We've always been friendly competitors. There's never been any drama. If there's not drama on the ground, there's not going to be drama on the tower."

The two men have had few training sessions together, but nailing a front four-and-a-half somersault on one of their first outings felt promising.

"This is our first real time doing synchro 10-metre," Wiens said. "We fit well together. We both look similar diving.

The Grand Prix is the first international event for most of Canada's divers since Tokyo's Olympic Games last summer.

The retirements of Olympic medallists Jennifer Abel and Meaghan Benfeito opened the door for the next crop of Canadian talent to step through and headline the national team.

Zsombor-Murray, 19, and Wiens 20, are currently ranked fourth and seventh in the world respectively in the individual 10-metre by FINA.

Zsombor-Murray placed 13th and Wiens 19th in their Olympic debuts in Tokyo.

Given their ages and familiarity with each other, the two expected to be paired at some point in their careers, but it nearly happened way ahead of schedule on an Olympic stage.

Zsombor-Murray's synchro partner Vincent Riendeau injured his back in