November 1, 2007

USA wins nine medals, including five gold, on opening day of Junior Pan American Diving Championships  

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico – Team USA dominated the first day of the Junior Pan American Diving Championships, claiming gold in five of six events and winning nine medals overall.

The U.S. went 1-2 in the boys’ 14-15 3-meter contest, led by another strong performance from Kristian Ipsen (Clayton, Calif.). Ipsen, an 11-time junior national champion who took silver on the event at the 2005 Junior Pan Ams, scored 498.35 points to win by nearly 50 points. The highlight of his performance came in the final round, when he received all 8.5s on his reverse 1 ½ with 3 ½ twists. USA teammate David Bonuchi (Columbia, Mo.) came out ahead in the battle for second, edging Colombia’s Sebatian Villa Castaneda, 449.50-446.85.

Kassidy Cook (The Woodlands, Texas), who won gold on all three events at the 2005 Junior Pan Ams, continued her winning ways by scoring 262.30 points for gold in the girls’ 12-13 1-meter contest. Lillian Hinrichs (Lincoln, Neb.) was fifth at 237.55.

Drew Livingston (The Woodlands, Texas) came through with a solid final dive in the boys' 16-18 3-meter contest to take the gold. Livingston was in second place with one round to go but earned marks as high as 9.0 on his inward 2 ½ pike to finish with 582.65 points, moving him ahead of Mexico’s Jonathan Ruvalcaba, who struggled on his last dive and settled for silver at 566.30. Ryan Helms (Moultrie, Ga.) scored 542.25 for the bronze.

Victoria Ishimatsu (Seal Beach, Calif.) added another gold upon scoring 425.80 points in the girls' 16-18 1-meter event. USA’s Abby Johnston (Durham, N.C.) won the bronze with 414.05, finishing just behind Canada’s Jennifer Abel, who scored 414.65 points.

Kaylea Arnett (Spring, Texas) scored 368.35 points to take home the girls’ 14-15 platform gold. She was nearly 20 points ahead of Canada’s Angelina Kroupko, who was second at 348.95. Michelle Cabassol (Montgomery, Texas) was fourth with 293.90 points.

Steele Johnston (Carmel, Ind.) scored 242.75 points for a silver on 1-meter in the boys’ 11-under age group. Mexico’s Andres Villarreal took the gold with 253.90, and USA’s Dashiell Enos (Studio City, Calif.) was fourth at 232.55.

The Junior Pan American Diving Championships continue through November 4. Friday’s competition features four platform events (boys 11-under, 12-13 and 14-15, and girls 16-18), 1-meter contests for 16-18 boys and 11-under girls, and 3-meter for girls 12-13. The meet runs through November 4.

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