Men’s NCAA Div I. Championships, Finals: Georgia’s Chris Colwill Upsets Puhakka to Take the 1 Meter Diving Crown

By Phillip Whitten

ATLANTA, Ga. March 23. THIS event had Joona Puhakka’s name all over it. The Arizona State senior, who hails from Finland, already had won five NCAA and eight Pac-10 titles in his stellar career, and in this afternoon’s prelims, he had qualified some 25 points ahead of his nearest pursuer.

But with one dive to go this evening, Finland’s finest found himself trailing Georgia’s Chris Colwill by just over 10 points.

Diving next to last, Colwill did a back 2-1/2 layout with a 3.2 degree of difficulty. And he stuck it, amassing 75.2 points.

The pressure was on Puhakka, who chose a back, 2-1/2 pike at a 3.4 DD. He nailed the dive, but the 76.5 points he was awarded were too little, too late.

Colwill took the title with 407.10 points, with Puhakka second with 398.20. Auburn’s Steve Segerlin was third with 382.80.

Event 5 Men 1 mtr Diving
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Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
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=== Championship ===

1 Colwill, Chris Georgia- 362.85 407.10 20
2 Puhakka, Joona Arizona- 389.30 398.20 17
3 Segerlin, Steven Auburn- 349.95 382.80 16
4 Starks, Derek Miami- 326.65 354.55 15
5 Richards, Sterling Utah- 320.00 340.55 14
6 Sehn, Eric Texas A&M- 325.80 335.35 13
7 Lobue, Steve Purdue- 309.70 321.90 12
8 Wilcox, Jonathan Florida- 318.60 301.40 11

=== Preliminaries ===

9 Dumais, Dwight Stanford- 308.45 9
10 Ashworth, Aaron Alabama- 307.35 7
11 Berman, Dean Nc, Wilmington- 293.70 6
12 Watters, Evan Mizz- 293.25 5
13 Griffin, Philip Southern Method. 290.85 4
14 Hilde, Michael Southern Cal.- 289.85 3
15 Fagan, Ryan Indiana- 289.65 2
16 Gouzeev, Genya Georgia- 286.00 1
17 Funderburk, Ryan North Carolina- 285.70
18 Gao, Bailey Texas- 282.65
19 Fox, Jon North Carolina- 279.80
20 Dalman, Niko Louisiana State- 276.20
21 Wiktorsson, Mats Hawaii- 274.60
22 Harkness, Kellen Ohio State- 273.85
23 McCain, Kelly Texas Christian- 273.30
24 Bingham, Brant Arizona- 272.90
25 Stowers, Evan Georgia Tech- 272.80
26 Ovelson, David South Carolina- 271.80
27 Bulfin, Mike Notre Dame- 270.45
28 Jenkins, Kenny Southern Cal.- 266.95
29 Collier, John Arizona- 260.45
30 Stultz, Jeremy Pittsburgh- 258.30
31 Derner, Scott Florida State- 256.60
32 Pierce, Adam Penn State- 248.90
33 Teague, Kevin Navy- 240.90
34 Roberts, Taylor Indiana- 240.30

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