May 9, 2008

Four U.S. divers advance to Sunday's finals at AT&T USA Diving Grand Prix

FORT LAUDERDALE , Fla. – The United States dominated the individual semifinal events Friday at the AT&T USA Diving Grand Prix, with four divers – more than any other country – earning spots in Sunday’s individual finals.

David Boudia (Noblesville, Ind.) scored 527.45 points on men’s 10-meter to lead the field of divers advancing to the finals. He earned 102.60 points, with one 10 and six 9.5 marks, on his back 3 ½ pike and scored more than 90 points on three other dives. Thomas Finchum (Indianapolis, Ind.) was second in his semifinal and third overall with 492.20 points, highlighted by a 10 and three 9.5s for 92.40 points on his back 3 ½ tuck. Also advancing were 2008 World Cup champion Sascha Klein of Germany, Matthew Mitcham and Matthew Helm of Australia and Hugo Parisi of Brazil.

Allison Brennan (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Chelsea Davis (Columbus, Ohio) advanced to Sunday’s women’s 3-meter final. Brennan turned in 314.90 points, earning a pair of 9s on her inward 2 ½, to take second in semifinal A (fourth overall). Davis scored 291.40 points for third in semifinal B (fifth overall). Russia’s Yulia Pakhalina led all divers, and China’s He Zi, Italy’s Tania Cagnotto and Sweden’s Anna Lindberg also advanced to the finals.

In the only final contested Friday, Christina Loukas( Riverwoods, Ill.) and Amanda Miller ( Centreville, Va.) finished fourth in women’s synchronized 3-meter with 300.90 points, while Mary Yarrison (Springfield, Va.) and Abby Johnston (Columbus, Ohio) were sixth at 292.20. Russia’s Pakhalina and Anastasia Pozdniakova won the gold at 316.62, followed by China’s Qinxin Zhao and Li Ting (312.20) and Australia’s Sharleen Stratton and Briony Cole (303.96).

Nick McCrory (Chapel Hill, N.C.) scored 441.25 points for sixth in the men’s 10-meter preliminaries but could not advance to the semis as only two divers per country can advance (Finchum was second and Boudia third in the prelims). Weston Wiester (Chesterfield, Mo.) was 24th at 318.55.

Loukas took ninth with 282.40 points in the women’s 3-meter prelims but did not advance as Davis and Brennan finished ahead of her. Nancilea Foster (Conroe, Texas) was 23 rd at 237.40.

The AT&T USA Diving Grand Prix runs through Sunday, May 11. Friday’s competition features women’s 3-meter and men’s 10-meter preliminaries and semifinals and women’s synchronized 3-meter finals.

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