Laura Wilkinson began her quest for a third Olympic team with a 25-point head start. She needed every bit of that as she finished the women’s platform preliminaries in first, a scant 1.3 points ahead of Haley Ishimatsu.
Wilkinson began slowly, receiving average scores on her first two dives – a forward 3 ½ somersaults in pike and a back 3 ½ somersaults in pike. The third round held the key for her as she rebounded on a reverse 3 ½ somersaults in tuck with scores of 8 and 8.5.
“It felt good to get my confidence back eventually,” said Wilkinson. “I had a lot of adrenaline to start out, and I was pretty nervous.”
Because of new selection procedures rewarding international success, she began the event with a lead due to her fourth place finish at the 2007 World Championships. Her point total without the bonus would have put her in third place.
Hot on Wilkinson’s heels was 15-year-old Haley Ishimatsu, who put together a solid list of dives with the exception of her back 3 ½ somersaults in pike. The high risk, big reward dive holds the highest degree of difficulty being used by the women at the trials, and is the same dive that gave Wilkinson problems earlier.
Despite that one dive, she finished just behind Wilkinson and ahead of Jessica Livingston from the Woodlands, Texas. “At the beginning I was a little apprehensive and needed to calm down and just do what I do in practice,” said Ishimatsu.
In the men’s event, David Boudia entered the competition with almost an extra dive. The 65 points with which he began the competition was equal to a full dive score for many of the competitors, and he finished in first over Thomas Finchum. Boudia earned his head start because of a third place finish at the 2008 FINA World Cup in February.
“It was awesome,” said Boudia of the crowd atmosphere. “I was a little nervous at first, but relaxed by smiling to get into the mood to compete.”
Boudia was consistent throughout the contest but the day really belonged to Finchum.
Left off the team in 2004, Finchum showed that his growth spurt has not diminished his ability to dive. He had the two highest scoring dives of the contest receiving two 10s on his reverse 3 ½ somersaults in tuck, and another 10 on a back 3 ½ somersaults in tuck. “My 307C (reverse 2 ½ tuck) was my best dive,” said Finchum. “I got up there, had my adrenaline going and the dive felt great.”
Finchum’s point total at the conclusion of prelims would have put him 16 points ahead of Boudia’s true score.
Finishing in third was Drew Livingston from the Woodlands, Texas. Livingston’s sister Jessica finished third in the women’s preliminaries. On having his sister competing at the event, Livingston commented that, “we both feed off each other and cheer for each other the whole way. Having a sister like her is truly a blessing.”
Competition for the platform divers will continue on Thursday with the men’s semifinals, and Friday with the women’s semifinals. Scores will accumulate during the preliminary, semifinal and final rounds with the champion being crowned on Sunday.
- Laura Wilkinson (Spring, Texas) – 362.00
- Haley Ishimatsu (Seal Beach, Calif.) – 360.20
- Jessica Livingston (The Woodlands, Texas) – 358.40
- Brittany Viola (Orlando, Fla.) – 328.45
- Cassandra Cardinell (Loudonville, N.Y.) – 315.00
- Michelle Cabassol (Montgomery, Texas) – 303.95
- Mary-Beth Dunnichay (Elwood, Ind.) – 285.45
- Lindsay Weigle (Bloomington, Ind.) – 261.10
- Kristan Asman (Columbus, Ohio) – 241.75
- Heather Bounds Isle (Round Rock, Texas) – 233.85
- Vennie Dantin (Conroe, Texas) – 232.65
- Amy Korthauer (Naperville, Ill.) – 210.50
Women's 10-meter Platform Preliminaries
- David Boudia (Noblesville, Ind.) – 572.65
- Thomas Finchum (Indianapolis) – 523.95
- Drew Livingston (The Woodlands, Texas) – 466.55
- JJ Kinzbach (Montgomery, Texas) – 428.40
- David Colturi (Sylvania, Ohio) – 412.80
- Daniel Mazzaferro (Cheshire, Conn.) – 409.90
- Weston Wieser (Chesterfield, Mo.) – 285.45
- Harrison Jones (Spring, Texas) – 397.30
- Nick McCrory (Chapel Hill, N.C.) – 392.445
- Matthew Cooper (Bethesda, Md.) – 385.55
- Sean Moore (Englewood, Colo.) – 322.90
Men's 10-meter Platform Preliminaries
