OLYMPIC REPORT / 27 DAYS TO THE GAMES

Defending Olympic springboard champion Mark Lenzi came from 10 points behind on his last dive to earn a trip to the Atlanta Games on Friday night, and Scott Donie claimed the other three-meter berth at the U.S. diving trials at Indianapolis.

Lenzi entered the final in fourth place, and battled furiously to make up ground on Donie and second-place Dean Panaro.

Diving ahead of Panaro and Donie, Lenzi had the highest degree of difficulty on his final dive, a reverse 3 1/2 somersault that earned five marks of 9.5 and two 9.0s.

Donie and Panaro appeared to have the two Olympic berths locked up until Panaro performed badly on his third dive. He received marks ranging from 4.5 to 5.5 for his reverse 3 1/2 somersault.

Panaro watched Lenzi’s final dive, then closed his eyes and turned away after seeing the high marks. Yet, he finished with an inward 2 1/2 somersault that earned mostly 9.0s. But the low 3.0 degree of difficulty could not compete with the tougher final dives by Lenzi and Donie.

Donie finished first with 1202.28 points to Lenzi’s 1198.08. Panaro had 1187.16 points. Brian Earley from Mission Viejo finished eighth.

In the women’s 10-meter platform competition, Mary Ellen Clark recovered from a poor second dive to wind up third after the preliminary. Eileen Richetelli led the 11 women with 334.86 points after five optional dives. Cheril Santini was second with 321.78.