BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Purdue's Tyler Downs and Greg Duncan nearly led wire-to-wire over 12 rounds of competition to win gold together in synchronized 3-meter at the USA Diving Winter Nationals, clinching the U.S. berth in the event for the FINA World Championships in May.
Downs & Duncan were victorious in their first synchronized event together, but both Boilermakers claimed their second career gold medals in a synchro event at Winter Nationals. They won Wednesday with a two-list score of 784.98, improving on their prelim score (389.28) in the final (395.70). They were victorious by 18 points over Olympic silver medalist and NCAA champion Andrew Capobianco and his Indiana University teammate Quentin Henninger.
Jordan Rzepka and Downs also teamed up to win silver in synchronized 10-meter Tuesday, finishing just three points behind Max Flory and Zach Cooper from the University of Miami. Rzepka & Downs improved on their prelim score (328.68) in a big way in the final (393.96), but could not overcome an 11-point deficit in the cumulative scoring after the prelim.
Downs earned a return trip to Japan after his breakthrough victory on 3-meter at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June made him an Olympian before his 18th birthday. Duncan competed internationally at the 2019 World University Games in Italy and now has earned the right to represent USA Diving at the biennial international showcase. The FINA World Championships are slated for May 13 to 29 in Fukuota, Japan.
Previously at the annual Winter Nationals, Duncan had won 3-meter synchro gold with longtime friend Grayson Campbell in 2017. Rzepka & Downs won gold together in 10-meter synchro the following year. Duncan also won his Big Ten title on 3-meter at IU's Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center in February 2020.
The 2022 Worlds will mark the fourth straight World Championships that a team of Boilermakers represent USA Diving in a synchronized event. Olympian Steele Johnson was part of three straight U.S. 10-meter synchro teams, pairing with fellow Boilermakers David Boudia in 2015, Brandon Loschiavo in 2017 and Ben Bramley in 2019.
Downs & Duncan had the top-scoring dive in five of the six rounds in the prelim and four of the six rounds in the final. After round 3 of the prelim marked the only occasion in which they did not hold the overall lead. But a day-high score of 81.60 on their forward 2 ½ 2-twist pike in the following round quickly vaulted them back to the top of the leaderboard. They entered the final with a 14-point lead in the cumulative scoring.
Rzepka & Downs' top score Tuesday was also an 81.60, earning the mark on a reverse 3 ½ in round 5 of the final. That made the last round of the head-to-head competition with Flory & Cooper quite compelling. Both pairings hit their final dives for scores of 75-plus, allowing Flory & Cooper to hold on for the three-point victory.
Action at the USA Diving Winter Nationals continues Thursday with the first day of individual events, featuring women's 1-meter and men's 3-meter. The weeklong event continues through Saturday.
BOILERMAKERS AT THE 2021 USA DIVING WINTER NATIONALS
Sam Bennett – 1-Meter, 3-Meter
Tyler Downs – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 10-Meter, 3-Meter Synchro (with Duncan), 10-Meter Synchro (with Rzepka)
Greg Duncan – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 3-Meter Synchro (with Downs)
Sophie McAfee – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 10-Meter
Maggie Merriman – 10-Meter
Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer – 1-Meter, 3-Meter
Jordan Rzepka – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 10-Meter, 10-Meter Synchro (with Downs)
Jenna Sonnenberg – 1-Meter, 3-Meter
Max Showalter (Alum) – 3-Meter
Daryn Wright (NLI Signee) – 3-Meter, 10-Meter
Maycey Vieta – 10-Meter
PURDUE'S REMAINING DAILY SCHEDULE AT WINTER NATIONALS
All Times Eastern
Thursday, Dec. 16
Women's 1-Meter Prelim at 10 a.m. – Emily Pfeiffer (232.90, 9th), Sophie McAfee (204.95, 23rd), Jenna Sonnenberg (193.90, 30th)
Men's 3-Meter Prelim at 12:50 p.m. – Tyler Downs (420.10, 2nd), Greg Duncan (398.70, 4th), Jordan Rzepka (349.50, 10th -- Scratched from Final), Sam Bennett (289.60, 29th), Max Showalter (244.85, 38th)
Women's 1-Meter Final at 5 p.m. – Emily Pfeiffer (477.10, 10th)
Men's 3-Meter Final at 6:15 p.m. – Tyler Downs (897.50, Event Winner), Greg Duncan (806.75, 5th)
Friday, Dec. 17
Women's 3-Meter Prelim at 10 a.m. – Emily Pfeiffer (255.30, 8th), Jenna Sonnenberg (181.15, 37th), Sophie McAfee, Daryn Wright
Men's 10-Meter Prelim at 1 p.m. – Jordan Rzepka (373.85, 4th), Tyler Downs
Women's 3-Meter Final at 4:30 p.m. – Emily Pfeiffer (499.20, 9th)
Men's 10-Meter Final at 5:45 p.m. – Jordan Rzepka (761.80, 5th)
Saturday, Dec. 18
Men's 1-Meter Prelim at 10 a.m. – Tyler Downs (385.95, 1st), Greg Duncan (341.50, 5th), Jordan Rzepka (333.30, 6th), Sam Bennett (290.05, 18th)
Women's 10-Meter Prelim at 12:35 p.m. – Maycey Vieta (284.90, 4th), Daryn Wright (275.30, 6th), Maggie Merriman (264.75, 9th), Sophie McAfee (205.30, 20th)
Men's 1-Meter Final at 3:55 p.m. – Tyler Downs, Greg Duncan, Jordan Rzepka
Women's 10-Meter Final at 5:45 p.m. – Maycey Vieta, Daryn Wright, Maggie Merriman
Downs & Duncan were victorious in their first synchronized event together, but both Boilermakers claimed their second career gold medals in a synchro event at Winter Nationals. They won Wednesday with a two-list score of 784.98, improving on their prelim score (389.28) in the final (395.70). They were victorious by 18 points over Olympic silver medalist and NCAA champion Andrew Capobianco and his Indiana University teammate Quentin Henninger.
Jordan Rzepka and Downs also teamed up to win silver in synchronized 10-meter Tuesday, finishing just three points behind Max Flory and Zach Cooper from the University of Miami. Rzepka & Downs improved on their prelim score (328.68) in a big way in the final (393.96), but could not overcome an 11-point deficit in the cumulative scoring after the prelim.
Downs earned a return trip to Japan after his breakthrough victory on 3-meter at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June made him an Olympian before his 18th birthday. Duncan competed internationally at the 2019 World University Games in Italy and now has earned the right to represent USA Diving at the biennial international showcase. The FINA World Championships are slated for May 13 to 29 in Fukuota, Japan.
Previously at the annual Winter Nationals, Duncan had won 3-meter synchro gold with longtime friend Grayson Campbell in 2017. Rzepka & Downs won gold together in 10-meter synchro the following year. Duncan also won his Big Ten title on 3-meter at IU's Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center in February 2020.
The 2022 Worlds will mark the fourth straight World Championships that a team of Boilermakers represent USA Diving in a synchronized event. Olympian Steele Johnson was part of three straight U.S. 10-meter synchro teams, pairing with fellow Boilermakers David Boudia in 2015, Brandon Loschiavo in 2017 and Ben Bramley in 2019.
Downs & Duncan had the top-scoring dive in five of the six rounds in the prelim and four of the six rounds in the final. After round 3 of the prelim marked the only occasion in which they did not hold the overall lead. But a day-high score of 81.60 on their forward 2 ½ 2-twist pike in the following round quickly vaulted them back to the top of the leaderboard. They entered the final with a 14-point lead in the cumulative scoring.
Rzepka & Downs' top score Tuesday was also an 81.60, earning the mark on a reverse 3 ½ in round 5 of the final. That made the last round of the head-to-head competition with Flory & Cooper quite compelling. Both pairings hit their final dives for scores of 75-plus, allowing Flory & Cooper to hold on for the three-point victory.
Action at the USA Diving Winter Nationals continues Thursday with the first day of individual events, featuring women's 1-meter and men's 3-meter. The weeklong event continues through Saturday.
BOILERMAKERS AT THE 2021 USA DIVING WINTER NATIONALS
Sam Bennett – 1-Meter, 3-Meter
Tyler Downs – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 10-Meter, 3-Meter Synchro (with Duncan), 10-Meter Synchro (with Rzepka)
Greg Duncan – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 3-Meter Synchro (with Downs)
Sophie McAfee – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 10-Meter
Maggie Merriman – 10-Meter
Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer – 1-Meter, 3-Meter
Jordan Rzepka – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 10-Meter, 10-Meter Synchro (with Downs)
Jenna Sonnenberg – 1-Meter, 3-Meter
Max Showalter (Alum) – 3-Meter
Daryn Wright (NLI Signee) – 3-Meter, 10-Meter
Maycey Vieta – 10-Meter
PURDUE'S REMAINING DAILY SCHEDULE AT WINTER NATIONALS
All Times Eastern
Thursday, Dec. 16
Women's 1-Meter Prelim at 10 a.m. – Emily Pfeiffer (232.90, 9th), Sophie McAfee (204.95, 23rd), Jenna Sonnenberg (193.90, 30th)
Men's 3-Meter Prelim at 12:50 p.m. – Tyler Downs (420.10, 2nd), Greg Duncan (398.70, 4th), Jordan Rzepka (349.50, 10th -- Scratched from Final), Sam Bennett (289.60, 29th), Max Showalter (244.85, 38th)
Women's 1-Meter Final at 5 p.m. – Emily Pfeiffer (477.10, 10th)
Men's 3-Meter Final at 6:15 p.m. – Tyler Downs (897.50, Event Winner), Greg Duncan (806.75, 5th)
Friday, Dec. 17
Women's 3-Meter Prelim at 10 a.m. – Emily Pfeiffer (255.30, 8th), Jenna Sonnenberg (181.15, 37th), Sophie McAfee, Daryn Wright
Men's 10-Meter Prelim at 1 p.m. – Jordan Rzepka (373.85, 4th), Tyler Downs
Women's 3-Meter Final at 4:30 p.m. – Emily Pfeiffer (499.20, 9th)
Men's 10-Meter Final at 5:45 p.m. – Jordan Rzepka (761.80, 5th)
Saturday, Dec. 18
Men's 1-Meter Prelim at 10 a.m. – Tyler Downs (385.95, 1st), Greg Duncan (341.50, 5th), Jordan Rzepka (333.30, 6th), Sam Bennett (290.05, 18th)
Women's 10-Meter Prelim at 12:35 p.m. – Maycey Vieta (284.90, 4th), Daryn Wright (275.30, 6th), Maggie Merriman (264.75, 9th), Sophie McAfee (205.30, 20th)
Men's 1-Meter Final at 3:55 p.m. – Tyler Downs, Greg Duncan, Jordan Rzepka
Women's 10-Meter Final at 5:45 p.m. – Maycey Vieta, Daryn Wright, Maggie Merriman