By Matthew Barnard, Swimming World College Intern
This last week the 2016 USA Diving Winter National Championships wrapped up in Columbus, Ohio. The Championships doubled as a qualifying event for the 2017 FISU Universiade in Taipei, and the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest (1 meter event only). A mixture of experienced divers and up-and-coming faces placed competitivley throughout the meet.
Men’s Events:
2016 Olympians highlighted the men’s springboard events with Michael Hixon of Indiana University clinching the 1 meter title and Purdue’s Steele Johnson topping the 3 meter event. Purdue University was awarded the men’s overall team championship.
In the 1 meter event Hixon posted a score of 825.40 to place above Johnson who claimed silver with 805.35, 2016 NCAA platform champion Zhipeng Zeng of Ohio State took third with 801.55. Johnson, Hixon and Zeng will all meet again in Ohio at the 2017 Big Ten Conference Championships in February.
In the 3 meter event Johnson once again topped Zeng to claim the championship. Johnson scored 1344.80 followed by Zeng’s 1187.15. Texas Longhorn and three time CSCAA All-America Award recipient Mark Anderson took bronze with a score of 1186.45.
The Platform event was extremely tight throughout, however World Cup bronze medalist David Dinsmore of the University of Miami was crowned the national champion with a score of 1377.10 just ahead of second placed Zang who totaled 1365.80. Third place went to 17-year-old Benjamin Bramley who trains out of Massachusetts.
In the synchronized events Dashiell Enos and Henry Fusaro won the 3 meter with a score of 740.67, Ryan Hawkins and Jordan Windle topped the platform with 730.56
Photo Courtesy: Matthew S. DeMaria
Women’s Events:
The women’s meet was highlighted with wins from youngsters in both springboard events. Longhorn Aquatics out of Austin, Texas were crowned the women’s team champion.
Fresh off a FINA World Junior Championship’s win earlier this month, 15-year-old Maria Coburn won the 1 meter event with a score of 514.30 narrowly ahead of Texas Longhorn Alison Gibson who scored 513.70. Rounding out the top three was Brooke Schultz with 507.00.
13-year-old Hailey Hernandez from GD Diving Club in Texas won 3 meter with a score of 821.35 ahead of Coburn who scored 810.60. Indiana University’s Michal Bower also had a strong showing taking third with 758.30.
Olympian Amy Cozad proved once again her strength in the platform event running away with the champsionship scoring 998.85. Second place went to Tarrin Gilliland of Liberty Hill, Texas scoring 952.20 with third secured by Northwestern’s Olivia Rosendahl with 937.40.
The synchronized events were won by Anne Fowler and Carolina Sculti in 3m with 516.69, Rosendahl and Sophia McAfee claimed the platform event scoring 510.36.
Photo Courtesy: Matthew S. DeMaria
Full results from the 2016 USA Diving Winter National Championships can be found here.