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USA DIVING NEWS |  |
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August 15, 2007 World University Games: Yarrison wins bronze on 1-meter, Schultz advances to 3-meter finals “This is my first international meet in about four years, so for me it was a good way to come back,” Yarrison said. “I was glad it was a consistent day. I didn’t really hit anything or really miss anything, I was just solid all across. I feel like that’s something I’ve been missing for awhile. For the team, I feel like that was a good first final.” Yarrison scored consistently through the finals, with her highest-scored dive coming in the form of a 58.5-point forward 2 ½ somersault pike. The competition came down to the final round with Yarrison facing tight competition from Chinese divers Yao Xinyi and Yang Yuting. Yang dove first, scoring 53.3 points on her final performance. Yarrison needed to score at least 52.75 points to stay ahead of Yang, and did so easily, earning 55.2 points for an inward 1 ½ somersault pike. The last diver of the session, Yao, could overtake Yarrison with a 4.55 average but scored just 16.9 points to finish in seventh place. Italy’s Noemi Batki and Ukraine’s Maria Voloshenko each scored 280.65 to tie for the gold. The first-place score was just 4.35 points ahead of Yarrison’s bronze-winning effort. Christina Loukas (Riverwoods, Ill./Indiana) finished 11th in the prelims and then took fifth in semifinal B to finish 10 th overall with 257.00 points. Amanda Miller (Centreville, Va./Purdue) finished the prelims with 246.90 points, good for 12th, but she was not allowed to compete in the semifinals due to FISU rules, which allow only two divers per nation to advance. Men’s 3-meter prelims and semis also were held Wednesday, and Zach Schultz (Chicago, Ill./Purdue) advanced to Friday’s finals after posting a score of 390.75 to finish 11th in the semifinals. Schultz executed a consistent program, will all six of his semifinal dives scoring between 60 and 70 points. His high score came with his fifth dive, a reverse 2 ½ somersault, 1 ½ twists pike, good for 70 points. Two Olympic gold medalists topped the semfinal. China’s Luo Yutong was first with 494.10 points while teammate and defending Olympic champion Peng Bo was second with 482.70. Jesse Rappaport (Glassboro, N.J./Indiana) placed 20th, missing the semifinal cut by just .20 points with a score of 361.20. Rappaport was barely edged out by Australia’s Grant Nel, who earned the advantage in the final round, scoring 56.10 to Rappaport’s 54.40. Terry Horner (Longwood, Fla./Florida State) finished 29th with 349.10 points.
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