U.S. Women’s Diving Trials : Mitchell Leading After Platform Preliminaries

Olympic silver medalist Michele Mitchell scored 76.14 points on her final dive Friday to take a slim lead over reigning national champion Wendy Williams after the preliminary round of platform competition at the U.S. Olympic diving trials.

Mitchell, 26, a seven-time national champion on the platform, scored 447.42 points for her eight dives. Williams, 21, survived a shaky start to score 444.21. Mary Fischbach, 23, placed third with 435.33, overcoming the disappointment of missing a spot on the Olympic team in springboard by less than one point Thursday,

Bonnie Pankoff was fourth at 418.77, followed by Olympic bronze medalist Wendy Wyland with 405.48 and Mary Ellen Clark with 403.98.

Williams, who won the indoor and outdoor national platform titles this year, was last after the opening round at the Indiana University Natatorium when she scored only 25.20 on an inward dive in the pike position.

Scores from the preliminaries are carried into the finals in the international format being used for the first time this year.

Mitchell received a 10 from one of the seven judges for her final dive, a forward 3 1/2 somersault in the tuck position.