Purdue's Boudia Wins 10-Meter Synchro at Trials to Clinch Olympics Berth 

Story by Jen Lowery, USA Diving 

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- Former Purdue diver David Boudia partnered with Nick McCrory to win the men's 10-meter synchronized competition at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Thursday evening, clinching one of the eight berths for the event at the Olympic Games in London this summer.

Boudia and McCrory entered the night with a lead of over 100 points in the three-round competition. They went on to win the men's 10-meter synchronized competition by 180 after scoring 468 Thursday in the finals.

Boudia assured himself of his second Olympics appearance. The six-time NCAA champion at Purdue represented Team USA in the 10-meter platform individual and synchronized competitions at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. McCrory earned his first Olympics berth.

Boudia and McCrory will also compete individually in the 10-meter platform finals Saturday. The event final is set to begin at 4 p.m. ET and will be televised live on NBC. After earning 11 perfect 10s throughout the day Tuesday in the preliminary rounds, Boudia will enter Saturday's final with a lead of 39.80.

The top two finishers in the men's 10-meter individual competition qualify for the Olympics. In the synchronized 10-meter platform, there are only eight qualifying teams from around the world and one of those spots goes to the host nation.

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Kelci Bryant and Abby Johnston came out ahead in a close women's synchronized 3-meter contest, while David Boudia and Nick McCrory dominated the men's synchronized 10-meter event to earn spots on the U.S. Olympic Team on Thursday at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Bryant, a 2008 Olympian, and Johnston won by the narrowest of margins, winning the women's synchronized 3-meter contest with 956.40 points, just by .42 ahead of Christina Loukas and Kassidy Cook (the sister of former Purdue diver Kara Cook).

In the men's contest, Boudia, also a 2008 Olympian, and McCrory scored 1387.86 points to win by more than 180 points over Toby Stanley and Steele Johnson, who finished with 1207.08 points.

"London was the main goal, but we have a lot of hard work to do in the next three to four weeks," said Boudia, who also competed in Beijing in 2008.

Boudia and McCrory earned three 10s in the finals, receiving one 10 on their back dive pike and two on their inward 3 ½ tuck, earning 91.20 points on that dive. They scored 92.13 points on their front 4 ½ tuck, and scored more than 88 points on their other two optional dives in the finals.

"This has been my dream, and I've finally reached my lifelong goal," McCrory said.

McCrory and Johnston train together at Duke University, and his training partner was also thrilled to make her first Olympic team.

"This is the most amazing feeling I've ever had," said Johnston.

Scores at the Trials were cumulative, with lists from preliminaries, semifinals and finals all counting toward team selection. Bryant and Johnston had a 6.51-point lead heading into the finals, and although Loukas and Cook outperformed them on their final five dives, Bryant and Johnston's scores from prelims and semifinals were enough to keep them atop the leaderboard at the end of the competition.

Heading into the final dive, Bryant and Johnston led by just 1.32 points. Loukas and Cook came up big with 78.30 points - the highest scoring dive by either team - on their front 2 ½ with a twist. Bryant and Johnston responded with 77.40 points on their back 2 ½ pike, enough to earn them the spot on the team.

Bryant made some adjustments during the competition to adapt to Johnston's nerves.

"I knew Abby would be nervous and diving a little faster, so I made sure to dive faster," said Bryant, also a 2008 Olympian.

Bryant said the pair will benefit from the television coverage that's surrounded this week's Trials. In 2008, synchro teams were chosen at a selection camp.

"It's different this time around because it wasn't on TV (in 2008). This will help us in London with all of the pressure," Bryant said. "Getting up on the podium is what we're looking to do."

Two more spots on the U.S. Olympic team will be up for grabs on Friday, with the men's synchronized 3-meter final on the schedule.