Americans Score First Diving Medal in 12 Years

The first diving medals of the 2012 Olympics were handed out on Saturday at the Aquatics Centre. The Chinese pair of He Zi and Wu Minxa won the gold with a big score of 346.20. This was not out of the ordinary, as they are the defending World Champions, and China swept the gold medals at their home event in 2011.

However, the appearance of American divers Abby Johnston and Kelci Bryant in the second position with a score of 321.90 was definitely a divergence from recent history. The pair scored a silver medal, which is the Americans’ first in diving (men’s or women’s) since Laura Wilkinson won gold in 2000 on the 10 meter platform.

The Americans couldn’t keep up with the Chinese on the final three dives, where degree of difficulty is unlimited; however on the first two rounds, where divers are forced into 2.0 (relatively easy) dives, Bryant and Johnston were able to build a small, 4.2-point lead over Canada’s bronze-medalists Jennifer Abel and Emilie Heymans. That lead, so slight, would be significant. That left the Americans with a small lead headed into the 5th and final round, where all they had to do was outscore the Canadians to lock up silver.

Lock it up they did, as Canada finished 3rd with a 316.80. The Italians Tania Cagnatto and Francesca Dallape were 4th, just back in 314.10. They had four outstanding dives, but on the fourth round faltered just enough to fall off of the podium. That is where the American pair was so good – they didn’t have a weak dive across the competition.

Full results for the final are below.

Rank Nation Dives Total
1 2 3 4 5
1  China
He Zi
Wu Minxia
54.00 52.80 79.20 80.10 80.10 346.20
2  United States
Kelci Bryant
Abigail Johnston
52.80 52.20 74.70 70.20 72.00 321.90
3  Canada
Jennifer Abel
Émilie Heymans
53.40 47.40 72.90 74.70 68.40 316.80
4  Italy
Tania Cagnotto
Francesca Dallapé
52.20 52.20 74.70 63.90 71.10 314.10
5  Australia
Sharleen Stratton
Anabelle Smith
49.20 49.20 70.20 69.75 66.60 304.95
6  Ukraine
Olena Fedorova
Hanna Pysmenska
49.20 48.00 63.00 72.90 69.30 302.40
7  Great Britain
Alicia Blagg
Rebecca Gallantree
49.80 52.20 56.70 72.00 54.90 285.60
8  Malaysia
Cheong Jun Hoong
Pamg Pandelela Rinong
46.20 47.40 54.00 71.10 64.80 283.50

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WHOKNOWS
11 years ago

I may have missed it, but what medium – 3 meter or platform?

Wirotomo
Reply to  WHOKNOWS
11 years ago

3 meters. i saw it in TV.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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