INDIANAPOLIS – Kassidy Cook (The Woodlands, Texas/Woodlands Diving Academy) has a 34.30-point lead after the semifinals of the women’s 3-meter springboard competition, and David Boudia (Noblesville, Ind./West Lafayette, Ind.) leads the men’s 10-meter platform in a seesaw battle with his synchro partner Steele Johnson (Carmel, Ind./West Lafayette, Ind.) and David Dinsmore, (New Albany, Ohio/Coral Gables, Fla.) following the final day of semifinals at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Diving at the IU Natatorium on the campus of IUPUI.
Cook finished the semis with a total of 660.85 points. Abby Johnston (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Durham, N.C.) is in second place (626.55) and Laura Ryan (Elk River, Minn./Athens, Ga.) is third (611.60).
The United States has qualified for only one spot in 3-meter women’s springboard in the Olympics. There remains a possibility that a second position may be added.
“I don’t even want to think about getting second,” said Cook. “I am here to win because that is a for sure. I am going to give it my all and hopefully end up on top.”
After starting the semifinals with a strong inward 2 ½ somersault pike that scored a 70.50, Cook missed with a front 3 ½ pike that registered 48.05 points. Cook said she had started to feel the pressure of the field trying to catch her.
“I let that get to me in my second dive, which was the one I missed, but after that my coach was like ‘Ok, you have to hit the rest of your dives, and instead of avoiding the media, instead of avoiding the crowd, I want you to embrace it and bring it in and enjoy the cheering and the media and all that.’ So after that I was like, okay, I’m just going to dance around, smile, and be myself and it has really helped me.”
In a three-way battle in the men’s 10-meter platform, Boudia won the night with a total score of 1007.25. Johnson follows with 961.80 and Dinsmore is in third, just 7.90 points behind at 953.90.
Boudia and Johnson both had individual dives top 100 points. Johnson earned 101.75 points for a front 4 ½ tuck in the fourth round and Boudia earned a 100.80 for a back 3 ½ pike in the fifth round.
Boudia said he feels the push of the next generation of American divers.
“It’s been a long time since I felt that environment at a national competition. Normally, you feel it all the time at an international tournament. It’s pretty exciting that these boys are pushing me. They’re not making my job easy, which I absolutely love,” said Boudia. “It’s cool to see that next generation coming up. I feel like they’re sending me a message that I should get out, but I’m still in this fight, and Sunday is going to be a good battle and I’m excited to see what the outcome will be.”
At the end of the preliminary round earlier Tuesday, Johnson (490.30) had an 8.70-point lead over Boudia (481.60) and Dinsmore was a close third with 475.30 points.
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Diving continue through Sunday. Wednesday night is the first of four nights of finals competition to determine the U.S. Olympic Diving Team. Teams for men’s 3-meter springboard and women’s 10-meter platform synchro will be determined starting at 9 p.m.
Courtesy USA Diving.
