Stanford grad Kristian Ipsen and Michael Hixon are separated by just 7.05 points atop the men’s 3-meter field, and Jessica Parratto is first in the women’s 10-meter individual event after Monday’s preliminaries and semifinals at the U.S. Olympic diving team trials.
Hixon had the lead after the preliminary round on Monday afternoon, finishing with a personal best score of 523.80, but missed a reverse 3 ½ tuck on his fourth dive of the semifinals and surrendered the lead to Ipsen.
Ipsen secured his spot atop the leaderboard with a 94.50 on his final dive, a reverse 1 ½ somersaults with 3 ½ twists, to head into the finals with a total of 973.20 points.
“I felt really confident with my last dive. I’ve been doing a reverse 3 ½ twist for a really long time now. It just feels like something that I can do in a high pressure situation,” said Ipsen. “If I am shaky, or if I am a little bit back on the board I can pretty much do it from any situation, so that’s why I save it for last. But I actually didn’t know where I was going into that last dive. I was trying not to watch Mike or anyone else’s scores. I was thinking about it as if I was starting with a clean slate.”
Ipsen said he would rest on Tuesday, then build to the finals events in 3-meter synchro on Wednesday and the individual competition on Saturday.
“Honestly, I’m just excited. I think I’m coming into this competition a little bit differently because I have been to an Olympics before and I’m not really that nervous. I just don’t know when my diving career is going to be over, so I’m just trying to enjoy every moment,” said Ipsen.
Hixon said he will stick with what’s worked for him.
“All of the divers are very capable,” he said. “No one is safe. I’m not going to take it for granted. I’m going to go out there and dive the best I can.”
Mark Anderson is in third with a cumulative score of 856.95,Troy Dumais is fourth (856.10) and Sam Dorman scored a 102.60 on his final dive of the night, a front 4 ½ tuck, to make his way into fifth with 840.40 points.
By USA Diving
By USA Diving
By USA Diving