Dive-by-Dive Scoring / Live Video / Broadcast Info / Purdue Entries at Olympic Trials
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue divers David Boudia and Steele Johnson are atop the leaderboard after Tuesday's 10-meter semifinals at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Boudia and Johnson put themselves in position to clinch Olympic bids again after also being the overwhelming favorites to represent Team USA together in synchronized 10-meter thanks to a 125-point lead entering Thursday's synchro finals (7 p.m. on NBCSN). But they'll have a lot more work to do in Sunday's individual 10-meter finals (6:30 p.m. on NBC).
The Boilermakers were represented by four of the 17 divers competing in Tuesday's men's 10-meter semifinals. Max Showalter and Nate Cox also competed from the tower but were not among the top 12 to advance.
Johnson was the leader after the morning prelims, but Boudia took over the top spot late in the semifinals. The top two finishers in Sunday's finals clinch Olympic bids. David Dinsmore is very much in contention as well. Johnson will enter the finals with a 7.9-point lead on Dinsmore. Boudia is up 53.5 points on Dinsmore.
Boudia won the day with a total score of 1,007.25 on his two lists. Johnson is second at 961.80 and Dinsmore third at 953.90. Showalter finished with a two-list total of 605.50 and Cox accumulated a score of 586.40.
Boudia and Johnson both had individual dives top 100 points in the semifinals. 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.
How do they do that?
I mean, @davidboudia has an Olympic gold medal, but still!#DivingTrials16 @usadiving https://t.co/8qsu7B5xje-- NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) June 22, 2016
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," Boudia said. "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, Johnson (490.30) had an 8.7-point lead over Boudia (481.60) and Dinsmore was a close third with 475.30 points. But Boudia averaged 87.6 points per dive in the semis en route to a list total of 525.65. While he improved on his score by 44.05, Johnson saw his score drop by 18.8 and Dinsmore was only able to post minor scoring gain (3.3) in the semis.
.@Steele_Johnson's AMAZING dive earned him 💯 +1 👏#DiveTrials16 @usadiving https://t.co/XusZwgjQY3
-- NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) June 22, 2016
In other action Tuesday at the Olympic Trials, Kassidy Cook (the sister of Purdue alumna Kara Cook) has a 34.30-point lead after the semifinals of the women's 3-meter springboard competition. She finished the semis with a total of 660.85 points. Abby Johnston is in second place (626.55) and Laura Ryan 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," Cook said. "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."
#ICYMI: @USADiving's TOP highlights from #DiveTrials2016 today! 🎉https://t.co/m8MhdXW7XH
- U.S. Olympic Team (@TeamUSA) June 22, 2016
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."
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials 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. Purdue's Anna James will compete in the women's 10-meter synchro competition. The action will be televised live by NBCSN.
-- Portions of this story by Jen Lowery, USA Diving
ICYMI, we go #OffTheRecord with #Rio2016 hopeful Steele Johnson. #BoilerUp https://t.co/KTp37LVebx
- Purdue Athletics (@PurdueSports) June 22, 2016