WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue divers are set to compete among the best in the world at the top international showcase of the year, the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest.
Greg Duncan, Maggie Merriman, Jordan Rzepka and incoming Boilermaker Daryn Wright are slated to compete for the United States. Maycey Vieta also dives for Puerto Rico.
Purdue alumnus and assistant coach David Boudia, a five-time medalist at the World Championships, is serving on the USA Diving coaching staff for the first time. He's joined on the staff by Minnesota's Wenbo Chen, who was the diving coach of the Boilermakers from 2001 to 2005.
Duncan, Merriman, Rzepka and Wright all qualified for the World Championships based on their medal-winning performances at the USA Diving Winter Nationals in December. Vieta was also a medalist in December and earned another international bid for Puerto Rico after representing the territory at the FINA Diving World Cup (Japan) and South American Diving Championships (Argentina) in 2021.
Duncan also has international experience at the 2019 World University Games (Italy) and 2020 FINA Diving Grand Prix (Spain). Rzepka competed at 2019 FINA Diving World Series meets in Japan and China. As a 2022 high school grad, Wright previously represented USA Diving at both the junior World Championships and junior Pan American Championships. Merriman also competed at junior World and Pan-Am Championships before enrolling at Purdue.
Alumnus Nikola Bjelajac raced in the 50-meter freestyle for Bosnia and Herzegovina in Budapest as well, finishing 54th of 90 in the prelims.
The FINA World Championships were originally slated to be held in Fukuoka, Japan in May. In February, FINA announced that Budapest would host an "extortionary edition" of the biennial showcase this year and Fukuoka would become the host of the 2023 FINA World Championships (July 14-30). Budapest also hosted the 2017 FINA World Championships and is slated to host again in 2027.
PURDUE DIVERS COMPETING AT 2022 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Greg Duncan – 1-Meter, 3-Meter Synchro
• Maggie Merriman – 10-Meter
• Jordan Rzepka – 1-Meter
• Maycey Vieta – 10-Meter (for Puerto Rico)
• Daryn Wright (Incoming Boilermaker) – 10-Meter, Mixed 3-Meter & 10-Meter Team
PURDUE SCHEDULE AT 2022 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
June 26 to July 3 // Budapest, Hungary
All Times Eastern – 6-hour time difference between Budapest & USA's Eastern Time Zone
Men's 3-Meter Synchro – Greg Duncan (Scratched)
• Prelim: Sunday, June 26 at 3 a.m.
• Final: Sunday, June 26 at 10 a.m.
Women's 10-Meter – Maggie Merriman, Maycey Vieta, Daryn Wright
• Prelim: Sunday, June 26 at 6 a.m. – Wright 7th (303.45), Merriman 9th (291.90), Vieta 10th (288.10)
• Semifinal: Sunday, June 26 at 12:30 p.m. – Wright 10th (302.00), Vieta 13th (280.90), Merriman 15th (269.30)
• Final: Monday, June 27 at 1 p.m. – Wright 9th (277.10)
Mixed 3-Meter & 10-Meter Team – Daryn Wright
• Final: Wednesday, June 29 at 8:30 a.m. – 8th (319.60)
Men's 1-Meter – Greg Duncan (Scratched), Jordan Rzepka
• Prelim: Thursday, June 30 at 6 a.m. – Rzepka 4th in Prelim A, 6th Overall (365.80)
• Final: Thursday, June 30 at 1 p.m. – Rzepka 6th (372.05)
Greg Duncan, Maggie Merriman, Jordan Rzepka and incoming Boilermaker Daryn Wright are slated to compete for the United States. Maycey Vieta also dives for Puerto Rico.
Purdue alumnus and assistant coach David Boudia, a five-time medalist at the World Championships, is serving on the USA Diving coaching staff for the first time. He's joined on the staff by Minnesota's Wenbo Chen, who was the diving coach of the Boilermakers from 2001 to 2005.
Duncan, Merriman, Rzepka and Wright all qualified for the World Championships based on their medal-winning performances at the USA Diving Winter Nationals in December. Vieta was also a medalist in December and earned another international bid for Puerto Rico after representing the territory at the FINA Diving World Cup (Japan) and South American Diving Championships (Argentina) in 2021.
Duncan also has international experience at the 2019 World University Games (Italy) and 2020 FINA Diving Grand Prix (Spain). Rzepka competed at 2019 FINA Diving World Series meets in Japan and China. As a 2022 high school grad, Wright previously represented USA Diving at both the junior World Championships and junior Pan American Championships. Merriman also competed at junior World and Pan-Am Championships before enrolling at Purdue.
In the swimming events, Purdue alumni and Olympians Nikola Aćin and Jinq En Phee also qualified for the World Championships again. Aćin raced with Serbia's 4x100 freestyle relay, helping the quartet qualify for the final. Phee was entered in the 100-meter breaststroke before a positive COVID-19 test sidelined the 2020 Purdue graduate. Aćin has opted to move on to Michigan as a graduate transfer for his additional fifth year of collegiate eligibility.Day 1 of practice is complete! Jordan Rzepka, Maggie Merriman, Greg Duncan, and Tyler Downs had practice with coach David Boudia tonight.
— USA Diving (@USADiving) June 22, 2022
Team USA looks to gear up for their next practice Wednesday morning! #FINABudapest2022
EVENT SCHEDULE: https://t.co/Gz3Uushozi pic.twitter.com/1Fq9eJ0jM1
Alumnus Nikola Bjelajac raced in the 50-meter freestyle for Bosnia and Herzegovina in Budapest as well, finishing 54th of 90 in the prelims.
The FINA World Championships were originally slated to be held in Fukuoka, Japan in May. In February, FINA announced that Budapest would host an "extortionary edition" of the biennial showcase this year and Fukuoka would become the host of the 2023 FINA World Championships (July 14-30). Budapest also hosted the 2017 FINA World Championships and is slated to host again in 2027.
PURDUE DIVERS COMPETING AT 2022 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Greg Duncan – 1-Meter, 3-Meter Synchro
• Maggie Merriman – 10-Meter
• Jordan Rzepka – 1-Meter
• Maycey Vieta – 10-Meter (for Puerto Rico)
• Daryn Wright (Incoming Boilermaker) – 10-Meter, Mixed 3-Meter & 10-Meter Team
PURDUE SCHEDULE AT 2022 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
June 26 to July 3 // Budapest, Hungary
All Times Eastern – 6-hour time difference between Budapest & USA's Eastern Time Zone
Men's 3-Meter Synchro – Greg Duncan (Scratched)
• Prelim: Sunday, June 26 at 3 a.m.
• Final: Sunday, June 26 at 10 a.m.
Women's 10-Meter – Maggie Merriman, Maycey Vieta, Daryn Wright
• Prelim: Sunday, June 26 at 6 a.m. – Wright 7th (303.45), Merriman 9th (291.90), Vieta 10th (288.10)
• Semifinal: Sunday, June 26 at 12:30 p.m. – Wright 10th (302.00), Vieta 13th (280.90), Merriman 15th (269.30)
• Final: Monday, June 27 at 1 p.m. – Wright 9th (277.10)
Mixed 3-Meter & 10-Meter Team – Daryn Wright
• Final: Wednesday, June 29 at 8:30 a.m. – 8th (319.60)
Men's 1-Meter – Greg Duncan (Scratched), Jordan Rzepka
• Prelim: Thursday, June 30 at 6 a.m. – Rzepka 4th in Prelim A, 6th Overall (365.80)
• Final: Thursday, June 30 at 1 p.m. – Rzepka 6th (372.05)