What is Olympic diving? What are the events that will take place in Beijing? How do you win a gold medal when you get there? Go no further; all the answers are right here!
THE COMPETITION
In the Olympics, eight diving events take place in a specially constructed diving well:
- Women’s Three-meter Springboard
- Men’s Three-meter Springboard
- Women’s 10-meter Platform
- Men’s 10-meter Platform
- Women’s Three-meter Synchronized Springboard
- Men’s Three-meter Synchronized Springboard
- Women’s 10-meter Synchronized Platform
- Men’s 10-meter Synchronized Platform
Springboard Diving
In men’s springboard diving, each diver must compete six dives with no limit on the total degree of difficulty. Each of these dives must come from one of five different categories – forward, back, reverse, inward, and twisting. The sixth optional dive may be chosen from any of these categories. The requirements for the women’s competition mirror that of the men’s but they are only required to compete five dives. Once again, each of the dives must come from a different category.
Platform Diving
In platform diving the divers must complete a list of six dives (five for the women) that have no limit on the total degree of difficulty and come from each of the categories used on platform. These categories are the same as those used in springboard diving except for the addition of the handstand category. Neither the men nor the women may repeat a repeat a category.
Synchronized Springboard Diving
In synchronized springboard men compete six dives and women five. Two of these dives are assigned a degree of difficulty of 2.0. The remaining four (three for women) are optional dives and have no limit on the degree of difficulty.
Synchronized Platform Diving
The requirements for synchronized platform diving are the same as those for springboard for both the men and women. Two voluntary dives with a degree of difficulty of 2.0, followed by four (three for women) optional dives without limit on the degree of difficulty.
EQUIPMENT
Springboard diving competition takes place on a flexible 16-foot aluminum diving board that sits three-meters (9 ft., 10.1 in.) above the surface of the water. The springboard sits upon what is known as a fulcrum, a moveable wheel that can be shifted in order to adjust the amount of spring the diver receives. The platform competition takes place on a stable surface that sits 10-meters (32 ft., 9.7 in.) above the water.
GOLD, SILVER, AND BRONZE
Each nation, and the diving federation that represents that nation, has the opportunity to qualify for a maximum of 12 spots in Olympic competition. Eight of these are for the individual springboard and platform competition, and the remaining four are for the synchronized diving teams. The host nation, in this instance China, receives an automatic invitation to the competition for all teams. All other federations must qualify through participation at the 2007 FINA World Diving Championships and the 2008 FINA Diving World Cup.
Individual diving competition in Beijing will take place in three rounds; the preliminaries, semi-finals, and finals. During each elimination round, divers will perform a full list of dives. At the conclusion of each round, the field will be reduced. After the preliminaries, the field will reduced to the top-18 divers who compete, in reverse order of their finish, in the semi-finals. At the conclusion of the semi-finals, the field will be again reduced to the top-12 divers who will compete again in reverse order of their finish. Divers will begin competition in each round with a score of zero. In synchronized diving, the divers will perform one list of dives from which the winner will be determined.
Read more about Olympic Diving Rules and Scoring
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