Though Indianapolis missed out on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, they did pick up a nice consolation prize, as the Natatorium on the campus of IUPUI will host the 2016 Olympic Diving Trials. They won the bid over fellow finalists from Atlanta.
The pool, famous for its wall of Olympians qualified in the venue, has hosted just as many significant diving Olympic Trials as swimming. They hosted the event in 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2008. The 1984 Olympics Games were the beginning of the truest dominance of the great Greg Louganis, who won four Olympic diving gold medals in 1984 and 1988 – making him the only man in history to sweep the diving events in consecutive Olympic Games.
The natatorium, which opened in the early 1980’s, is expected to see a $17-million renovation before the Trials according to those within the IUPUI aquatics program that we spoke with.
The United States was on an upward path in London, winning 4 medals, including a gold from David Boudia on the 10-meter platform. The program is in a bit of flux though, as most of their Olympic Team did not contend for spots on the 2013 World Championships team, and that resulted in just a single medal, a silver from David Boudia on the platform, in Barcelona.
