The Road to Beijing:
Hailing from Noblesville, Ind., David Boudia does not have to go far to train. The National Training Center is just down the road in Indianapolis and he has been training with his current coach John Wingfield since he was a junior diver. David has slowly but steadily crept up on the world. A bit overshadowed by Thomas Finchum for most of the last four years, he has become the preeminent platform diver in the U.S. over the past year.
His Talent:
His diving list is the equal of any in international competition and at the AT&T FINA Grand Prix, he and Germany’s Sascha Klein competed dives with more difficulty than anyone in the competition. More than anything, David’s desire and dedication to the sport is what has led him to the position he is in - nine years of full time training, 7:30 am workouts, 36-40 hours a week over the past two years. That kind of focus may pay dividends in Beijing.
What to Look For:
With his world cup bronze this year, David became the first U.S. diver to win an individual platform medal in the big three – Olympics, World Cup, and World Championships, since Scott Donie won gold in Barcelona in 1992. That performance puts him in the position as the best bet for a men’s individual medal on platform in Beijing - not to mention his gutsy win at the U.S. Olympic Diving Trials in June. His best chance though, will probably be in the synchro platform, where he and Thomas Finchum have been a consistent international threat.
The Stats:
At 5-9 and 155 lbs., 19-year-old David is a bit stockier than his synchro partner Finchum. That has not seemed to faze the pair as they have medaled in 14 international meets (including 10 consecutive), from 2006-2008.