A SPLASHDOWN : 2 Years After Olympics, Soviet Divers Arrive at USC to Take On Americans

The Soviet national diving team was nearly two years late when it finally showed up Thursday at the Olympic Swimming and Diving Stadium on the USC campus.

The divers must have wondered if they were ever going to make it, especially during a two-day trip from Moscow that included stops at Shannon, Ireland; Havana; Mexico City, and an emergency landing for fuel at Mazatlan.

The Soviets, who led the Eastern Bloc boycott of the 1984 Olympics, are here for the McDonald’s Challenge, a meet with the best American divers today and Sunday at 2 p.m.

“They look strong, and it looks like they brought their A and B teams,” said Olympic silver medalist Michelle Mitchell after watching the Soviet divers work out. “As we say, they land on their heads--they don’t miss dives.

“We seem to have more fun. Maybe it’s the two societies. We’re trying to socialize, but there’s a little bit of a language barrier. The problems in the world may be making everybody a little leery.”

Best of the Soviets are Nikolai Drozhin, 1985 European springboard champion who will challenge U.S. double gold medalist Greg Louganis, and Alla Lobankina, women’s platform specialist who was given a solid chance for an Olympic medal before the boycott.

Also competing for the U.S. will be Olympic medalists Kelly McCormick and Wendy Wyland, and 1985 World Cup medalists Ron Meyer and Mark Bradshaw.

“We have a very young team, and competition with the American sportsmen helps,” said Yuri Shlypin, leader of the Soviet delegation, through an interpreter. “It’s an enriching experience.”

The Soviet divers seem just as enthusiastic about their trips to Disneyland and Hollywood next week, but they apparently will pass up a chance to see the Dodgers play.

They’ll settle for another American institution--Louganis--who ran his record total of national championships to 38 with three more in the recent U.S. Indoor meet at Indianapolis.

Louganis was in such demand by the media this week that he didn’t get much of a chance to watch the Soviet divers, but he saw enough to notice some improvement.

“Everyone in international diving seems to be getting better, including the Russians,” Louganis said. “They’re getting into the water a lot better and seem more consistent. They have a tougher list of dives.”

Drozhin, meanwhile, hasn’t seen Louganis in a few years, and at 20 may figure that he’s ready to make a run at the master.

When asked about winning, Drozhin said: “If I didn’t (think so), why should I come.”