Lenzi’s International Diving Debut Finds Him in the Lead

Mark Lenzi, a former high school wrestler who has been diving for only four years, made his international debut Wednesday and placed first in the men’s one-meter team event of the FINA World Diving Cup.

Lenzi, an Indiana University junior, had 600.18 points. China’s Lan Wei was second with 576.87, followed by teammate Tan Liangde, the 1984 and 1988 Olympic 3-meter springboard silver medalist, with 570.93. Pat Evans, the NCAA diver of the year, was fourth with 568.02.

China led the team competition with 193 points. The United States was next with 184 in defense of the team title won two years ago. The Soviet Union was third with 170.

Chinese women also scored a 1-2 finish in the platform event. Defending champion Xu Yanmei, the 1988 Olympic gold medalist, earned 422.58 points for her eight dives. Chen Ziaodan, fifth in the Seoul Olympics, was second with 402.87. Canada’s Anna Dacyshyn edged 1984 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist Wendy Wyland for third, 393.33 to 392.28.

The top four finishers in each event receive byes into the semifinals of the individual phase. The next eight divers move into the quarterfinals to compete against each other in brackets of four, with the two top scorers in each bracket advancing.