2012 US Olympic Diving Team Starts Taking Shape

By Ernie Geigenmiller

The 2012 US Olympic Diving Team’s first four athletes were announced to the world Thursday night at the finals for the Women’s synchronized 3m and the Men’s synchronized 10m at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, WA.

Kelci Bryant (a 2008 Olympian) and Abby Johnston came out ahead in an extremely close women’s synchronized 3-meter contest. They barely edged out 2008 Olympian Christina Loukas and Kassidy Cook, who have gotten a lot of recent press attention. The winning score was 956.40, just .42 seconds ahead of Loukas and Cook.

It was dramatic.

Meanwhile David Boudia and Nick McCrory dominated the men’s synchronized 10-meter event. Boudia, a 2008 Olympian is excited about the win, and said: “we have a lot of hard work to do in the next three to four weeks.”

Boudia and McCrory had a solid lead going into the finals, as scores at the Trials are cumulative (prelims, semi-finals, and finals). Second place went to the Toby Stanley/Steele Johnson duo. They also had a stellar performance.

Kelci Bryant and Abby Johnston won the Women’s Synchronized 3m contest
and will head to London for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Nick McCrory and David Boudia won the 10m Synchro, and will
head to the Olympics in London this summer.

“We are so proud of the boys,” said Bill Johnson, Steele’s father. “Boudia deserved to be on the Olympic team and he will do a great job representing the United States.”

Olympic gold medalist and diving legend, Greg Louganis, was on-hand to witness the events. He spoke to several spectators and was happy for the winners.

Boudia’s fans sat together wearing blue shirts and screamed for joy at the results. “We’re so thrilled for them!” said one supporter.

2008 Olympian, Thomas Finchum, hopes to be a two-time Olympian as he competes in Saturday’s 10m individual events. “I’ve had to deal with several injuries,” he said. “But I’m doing well and hope things will turn out for the best this Saturday.”

Finchum spent a lot of time with fans Thursday night signing autographs.

“The boys did great tonight!” said Jill Johnson, Steele’s mother. “I could tell by the way Steele was acting before it started that he would do well. He was having fun and it showed in his dives. Our goal has always been Rio in 2016, and it was great to see the boys make a strong showing tonight.”

Our next report will be on the 10m platform finals.