U.S. wins team event gold, Loschiavo takes platform bronze at FINA World Cup
by Jared Cruz-Aedo
Team USA won the gold medal in the mixed team event and Brandon Loschiavo (Purdue Diving) took bronze in the men’s 10-meter Sunday at the FINA Diving World Cup in Berlin.
Tyler Downs (RipFest), Kristen Hayden (Johansen Diving Academy, Zachary Cooper (Miami Diving), and Katrina Young (Trojan Dive Club) teamed up to win the mixed team event gold with 375.80 points. The U.S. team held the first place position in the mixed team event throughout the competition, and thanks to Cooper’s fifth round dive of an armstand double back with 2½ twists that scored 77.40 points, Team USA solidified the top spot. Cooper’s dive was the highest-scoring dive of the entire competition.
Loschiavo added a bronze in the individual 10-meter competition with 429.95 points. His highest scoring dive came in the fifth round when his forward 4½ tuck scored 79.55. Josh Hedberg (The Indiana International School of Diving) also advanced to the finals and placed fifth with 412.75 points. Hedberg’s strongest dive came in round two with his armstand double back with 2½ twists scoring 79.20. China’s Yang Jian and Yang Hao won gold and silver in the 10-meter competition.
Team USA secured two top-10 finishes in the women’s 3-meter final as Samantha Pickens (COM Aquatics) placed ninth and Hayden was 10th. Pickens finished with 250.25 points, with her highest scoring dive of 63.00 coming in the first round on an inward 2½ pike. Hayden scored 245.85 points for 10th. Hayden’s third-round dive, a back 2½ pike, scored 54.00 points for her strongest of the competition. China’s Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen won the gold and silver medals, with Japan’s Sayaka Mikami taking bronze.
Team USA won six medals at the FINA World Cup in Berlin and placed second in the medal standings.