Garcia, Soldati Are Set to Take Olympic Plunge

Although it was considered nothing more than a warmup for Olympians Caesar Garcia and Kimiko Hirai Soldati, they again proved to be the best the United States has to offer in their specialties.

Garcia won the men’s 10-meter platform competition Saturday at the Speedo National Diving Championships at the Mission Viejo Recreation Center, shortly after Soldati won the women’s three-meter springboard title.

Garcia, who finished first in the event at the Olympic trials last month after finishing last in 2000, lost the lead to Auburn Diving Club teammate Matt Bricker on the fifth of six dives but regained it with a near-flawless back 2 1/2 somersault with a 1 1/2 twist.

Garcia finished with 625.77 points, followed by Bricker with 617.84. Thomas Finchum of Indianapolis was third with 583.47 points, and fellow Olympian Kyle Prandi of Strongsville, Ohio, had 569.91.

Finchum, 14, who finished second behind Garcia at the Olympic trials last month but did not make the U.S. team because of a new qualifying format, led after each of the first three rounds.

But Garcia produced two scores of 9.5 out of a possible 10 on his fourth dive, as well as four remaining scores of 9.0, to move into first.

“I appreciate the challenge,” Garcia said. “But it’s a little intimidating because he’s only 14.”

Garcia and Bricker teamed to win the synchronized 10-meter platform competition, defeating the Olympic team of Prandi and Mark Ruiz, 346.53-340.92.

Soldati, 30, from Magnolia, Texas, who will try to become the oldest U.S. women’s diver to win an Olympic medal next month, took the lead on the fourth of five dives, a reverse 2 1/2 pike. She then cemented the title on her final dive, a front forward 2 1/2 with a twist.

Soldati, who won the event at the Olympic trials, totaled 515.05 points, followed by 16-year-old Chelsea Davis of U.S. Elite Diving in second (502.23) and fellow Olympian Sara Hildebrand of Indiana Diving (496.07).

Hildebrand and Olympic teammate Cassandra Cardinell won the women’s synchronized three-meter springboard competition over sisters Kellie and Allison Brennan of Huntington Beach, 261.63-256.44.

Competition ends today.