Kimball 3rd in Meet That May Be His Last

In days to come, he could go to Seoul, he could go to jail. Today, Bruce Kimball will discover whether his career as a diver is over.

Trying to make a two-person U.S. Olympic team in men’s 10-meter platform diving, Kimball, the 1984 silver medalist, was a close third after Saturday’s semifinals at the U.S. Olympic trials, trailing Greg Louganis and Matt Scoggin. Kimball was the leader through five rounds and held on to second place until his 10th and last dive.

No matter how this afternoon’s finals go, said his father and coach, Dick Kimball, “this is his last meet.”

Unless he goes to the Olympics?

“That’s right. Unless he goes to the Olympics.”

Bruce Kimball is competing here while he is free on $10,000 bond after an Aug. 1 automobile accident that fatally injured two Florida teen-agers and hospitalized several others. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 29, at which time he is expected to plead not guilty to five felony counts of alcohol-related manslaughter.

Kimball, 25, of Ann Arbor, Mich., decided to proceed with his bid for another trip to the Olympics, but he will retire from other active competition, his father said. To go to South Korea, he will need clearance not only from judges of divers, but from judges of those accused of crimes.

Today’s finals begin at noon PDT, and will be televised by ABC at 2 p.m.

Louganis, who already has qualified for the Olympics in 3-meter springboard diving, is the leader going into the platform finals with 665.19 points. Scoggin is second with 631.17, with Kimball close behind at 626.67 and Mike Wantuck fourth at 613.32.

A poor effort on his sixth dive of the day knocked Kimball from the lead, after he had gotten off to a superb start. His second dive, in fact, had earned him one perfect score of 10.0 and five 9.5s from six of the seven judges.

On a forward 3 1/2-somersault pike in the sixth round, Kimball made his only serious mistake of the day. His scores: two 6.0s and five 5.5s.

Scoggin seized the moment. He did an easier dive in that round and ripped it, earning three perfect scores and three 9.5s. Louganis gained the lead and Scoggin moved within striking distance of Kimball, eventually passing him on the 10th dive.

Asked if he had ever scored three 10s on a dive before, Scoggin, 25, laughed and said: “Yes, back in Austin (Tex.), my hometown. I had some friends judging that day, of course.”

Scoggin was better rested than either of his main rivals, having passed up the springboard competition that ended late Friday. Louganis and Kimball each did 11 springboard dives that night, then returned for 10 platform dives beginning at noon Saturday.

“I skipped it for two reasons,” Scoggin said. “First, because in the last year I’ve rarely placed higher than fifth or sixth place in national springboard competitions, even when I’m right on with my dives. I felt it drained my energy for nothing.

“Second, I didn’t want to slip and break my foot on a springboard like I did in Hawaii last November. I figured I’d better not take any chances.”

Scoggin said he had no idea whether Kimball felt any extra pressure from the pending court action against him or controversy surrounding his appearance at the trials.

“I just know he’s one of the best divers in the world,” Scoggin said.

Dick Kimball said he was pleased and surprised by his son’s performance under the circumstances, noting that Bruce “missed one dive and hit nine outstanding ones. This was the highest he’s scored in a long time.”

The elder Kimball, who coaches diving at the University of Michigan, still chafes at suggestions that his son, by competing here, is showing no remorse for the victims struck by his vehicle on a Brandon, Fla., dead-end street.

For four days after the accident, Dick Kimball said, his son “was so devastated, he couldn’t function. He didn’t leave the four walls of our trailer.”

Asked how his son was able to put it out of his mind during Saturday’s competition, he said: “I’m not sure he’s put it out of his mind. I just think he’s built up a conditioned reflex over 21 years of diving that enables him to do his work and tune out everything else.”

Regarding the loud crowd support Bruce has received from Indianapolis crowds, Dick Kimball said: “I’m very pleased with it, because I think the diving world is behind him. I think they have a strong feeling that he’s innocent till proven guilty.”

Asked if he was proud of the way Bruce performed Saturday, Kimball said: “I’m always proud of my son.”