Dive-by-Dive Scoring / USA Diving Website
ATLANTA - Purdue divers Steele Johnson and Brandon Loschiavo won a USA Diving national title in their first competition together, clinching Team USA's berth at the FINA World Championships with their victory in synchronized 10-meter.
At the USA Diving Synchronized National Championships, Johnson and Loschiavo were victorious by nearly 100 points with a two-list score of 821.16. Purdue's Max Showalter also competed with Zach Cooper in 10-meter synchro, finishing fourth with a score of 700.14.
Johnson had already clinched a 1-meter berth at the World Championships via his runner-up finish in the event at the 2016 USA Diving Winter Nationals. He'll also compete in 10-meter synchro at Worlds for the second time after also qualifying with Purdue alumnus David Boudia in 2015.
Johnson won his 12th career USA Diving senior national title. It was the first for Loschiavo, who was also a platform All-American for Purdue as a freshman this season.
Budapest, Hungary, is hosting the FINA World Championships this summer. The international showcase is set for July 14 to 22.
Day two at the 2017 USA Diving Synchronized National Championships was highlighted by Olympians Kassidy Cook and Johnson collecting national titles with first-time partners Thursday. Cook and partner Maria Coburn bested the women's synchronized 3-meter field. Johnson & Loschiavo and Cook & Coburn qualified for the World Championships.
Cook & Coburn topped the women's synchronized 3-meter final with a score of 573.15. Cook, who finished 13th in Rio in the individual 3-meter event, formed a nice pairing with Coburn for the victory, outdoing the field by nearly 50 points. Cook also won silver in the event, forging a second-place finish with Alison Gibson. Coburn also won multiple medals, finishing third with Emma Ivory-Ganja. Cook and Coburn secured Team USA's spot in the event at the upcoming FINA World Championships.
The 2017 USA Diving Synchronized National Championships continue through April 15 at the McAuley Aquatic Center on the campus of Georgia Tech, the same pool that hosted aquatic events at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
Purdue's Joe Cifelli and Showalter are scheduled to compete Friday in the mixed synchronized 3-meter events. Cifelli will team with Cook and Showalter is partnered with Nevada alumna Krysta Palmer.
-- Story by Joe Clarke, USA Diving
Your men's 10m champs: Steele Johnson and Brandon Loschiavo! https://t.co/kFaNCZPJfE
- USA Diving (@USADiving) April 13, 2017