Olympic Preview: Diving In Rio Will Come Down To The Bitter End

Photo Courtesy: Toni L. Sandys

Editorial Coverage Sponsored By FINIS

By Erin Keaveny, Swimming World College Intern

Get ready to set your DVRs as diving begins in Rio on August 7. The 13-member Chinese team is the favorite to bring home the most medals, while the United States’ “perfect ten” look to stake their claim in Olympic history.

On Sunday August 7, the second day of the games, women will reach for the podium in the synchronized 3m. Team U.S.A. is not sending a pair to Rio, and China’s Wu Minxia and Shi Tingmao are the favorites heading into the event. Wu will be looking for her fourth consecutive gold in synchronized 3m.

On the second day of competition, the American men will compete in the synchronized platform final. After first time Olympian Steele Johnson and defending gold medalist David Boudia’s dominating performance at the U.S. Olympic team trials, the dynamic duo is definitely one to watch.

On August 9, the women will follow the men in synchronized platform, where American team Amy Cozad and Jessica Parratto hope to make the podium. The fourth day on the games will see the last synchro diving event, with men’s synchronized 3m. Americans Sam Dorman and Michael Hixon are set to compete.

August 11, the sixth day, will be a break from competition.

After the break, we will see the women battle for gold in the individual 3m. Preliminary competition will take place on August 12, with semifinals the next day, culminating at the final event on August 14. American women Kassidy Cook and Abby Johnston will be looking to overtake their competition.

On the 10th day of the Games U.S. team members Hixon and Kristian Ipsen will fight to advance past the preliminary round of competition in the men’s individual 3m. The semifinal and final with both occur the next day on August 16.

On August 17, Parratto and Katrina Young will compete in the preliminaries on women’s individual 10m, and hopefully advance to the semifinal and final rounds taking place the following day.

Nearing the end of the games, on August 19, Boudia and Johnson will take to the pool again. This time as individual competitors on the men’s 10m platform. The semifinals and finals are set to take place the next day on August 20, where Boudia will look to defend his gold medal.

The men’s ten meter is shaping up to be a nailbiter. Along with Boudia, China’s three-time world champion Qui Bo will also be returning to the pool in Rio. In London, Qui had been leading the entire competition, and in the the final round Qui and Boudia performed the same dive. Boudia took home the gold by less than two points. These titans are ready battle it out once more. In addition, no one can count out Olympic rookies Johnson (USA) and Chen Aisen (CHN), or reigning bronze medalist Tom Daly (GBR). With only three podium spots and one gold medal, it looks like once again it’s going to come down to the bitter end. You won’t want to miss this.

For the full television and live streaming coverage schedule, head to the NBC Olympic site.

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