U.S. Diving Championships : Louganis Takes Platform, 3 Titles

Defending champions Greg Louganis and Michele Mitchell survived tough challenges to hang onto their U.S. platform titles in the Phillips 66/U.S. Diving Championships Saturday.

Louganis, 26, didn’t take the lead until the eighth round of the 10-round final. He hit his best dive of the competition in the ninth round and held on for his third national title of the week and the 41st of his career.

Louganis won the platform and 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events, the fifth straight time he has swept all three in a national meet.

Louganis, who won two gold medals in the 1984 Olympics, finished Saturday with 655.20 points, followed by Dan Watson with 640.62 and Mike Wantuck with 633.87.

Mitchell, the Olympic silver medalist in women’s platform, fought off newcomer Cokey Smith to win her fifth consecutive U.S. platform title. A teammate of Louganis on the Mission Bay Makos of Boca Raton, Fla., Mitchell scored 439.26 points, while Smith had 408.21 and Karen LaFace 407.31. Olympic bronze medalist Wendy Wyland was fourth with 398.94.

In the men’s event, Pat Evans took the lead with 9.5s in the first round and remained there for seven rounds. Evans, who qualified second to Louganis, scored a 10 on his fourth dive, an armstand somersault pike.

But Evans faltered in the eighth round on a reverse 2 1/2 somersault pike, getting only 32.67 points. Louganis got 90 points with that same dive in the next round to take control.

Watson, who earlier scored two 10s in the fourth round, got five 10s and two 9.5s on his eighth dive, also a reverse 2 1/2 somersault pike. But he couldn’t catch Louganis in the final two rounds.

Olympic silver medalist Bruce Kimball scored two 10s on his sixth dive, an armstand reverse 1 1/2 somersault tuck. The six-time U.S. platform champion finished fourth with 613.87 points.

Scott Donie, although never a threat for the title, drew roaring applause after earning six 10s and a 9.5 on his ninth dive, a reverse 2 1/2 somersault tuck. His score of 81 is the highest possible total for the dive. He finished in sixth place with 576.42 points.

In the women’s event, Smith made an amazing showing in only her second national championship effort. She clinched second by earning 8s on her final dive, a back 2 1/2 somersault pike.

Mitchell, an eight-time national champion, got 9s on her final dive, an inward 3 1/2 somersault tuck. She won despite a poor fifth dive, which drew 4s and 5s from the judges.