INDIANAPOLIS — The veteran and the youngster were 1-2 after the women’s 10-meter preliminaries at the U.S. Olympic Diving Trials on Wednesday.
Laura Wilkinson, the 2000 Olympic platform champion seeking a third Olympic berth at age 30, totaled 362.00 points after the five-dive opening round.
Haley Ishimatsu, a 15-year-old from Seal Beach, Calif., had 360.70 points.
“She gets better every single year,” Ishimatsu said. “I just have to keep chasing her and see if I can pass her up.”
In the men’s platform prelims, David Boudia led all the way and totaled 572.65 points. His friend and synchronized partner, Thomas Finchum, was second at 523.95.
“It’s a good cushion,” Boudia said. “I feel Thomas beat me, and I know he did. But it’s awesome to have a cushion.”
Finchum, an 18-year-old diving in his hometown pool, actually outscored Boudia based on the six-round competition. Boudia started the event with a 65-point advantage because of his third-place finish at a World Cup event in Beijing this year.
Finchum finished second on the platform at the trials as a 14-year-old in 2004 but didn’t make the Olympic team. He clearly showed he belongs this time, receiving three marks of 10.0 on two different dives.
Boudia, who lives in suburban Noblesville, and Finchum received the loudest cheers from the 2,763 fans.
Drew Livingston was a distant third at 466.55. Harrison Jones performed the toughest list of dives, but he couldn’t pull them off well enough and was eighth.
In the women’s event, Jessica Livingston, who trains with Wilkinson in The Woodlands, Texas, was third with 358.40. She is Drew’s older sister.
Phelps enters nine events.
Michael Phelps is entered in nine events at next week’s U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha.
The six-time Olympic gold medalist plans an ambitious schedule for the eight-day trials, which begin June 29.
Phelps is entered in the 100- and 200-meter freestyles, the 200 and 400 individual medleys, the 100 and 200 backstrokes, the 100 and 200 butterflys and the 400 free.
London Olympics costs soar.
London’s mayor told organizers of the 2012 Olympics to keep the budget under control after a study indicated building costs increased by $207 million in the last seven months.
Mayor Boris Johnson commissioned the study amid concerns about the effect of turmoil in the global financial markets on the Olympic budget. The overall cost of the Olympics has been projected at $18.2 billion.
Final qualifier still set for Iowa.
The final Olympic qualifying race for U.S. triathletes is going ahead as scheduled this weekend in Iowa after flood-related uncertainty.
The Associated Press
