Palmer and Ryan Finish Eighth in Mixed 3-Meter Synchro at World Championships

Krysta Palmer (Reno, Nevada/Nevada Diving) and Jack Ryan (Denver, Colo./Stanford University) finished eighth in mixed synchronized 3-meter as diving events wrapped up Saturday at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

Palmer and Ryan scored 263.88 points, highlighted by 62.22 points on their front 2 ½ somersaults with two twists.

China’s Xhu Zifeng and Lin Shan won gold with 326.10 points, while Australia’s Maddison Keeney and Domonic Bedggood scored 294.12 for silver. The Italian team of Matteo Santoro and Chiara Pallacani took bronze at 294.12.

In Saturday’s men’s 10-meter final, Australia’s Cassiel Rousseau edged China’s Lian Junjie by 8.50 points to win gold and prevent the Chinese from sweeping the diving events at the World Championships. Chinese divers won gold in the 12 other diving events. The U.S. did not qualify for the men’s 10-meter final.

The World Championships marked the first opportunity for countries to secure quota spots for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris. The U.S. came away with seven out of a maximum 12 quota spots, earning two of four synchronized diving spots (men’s 3-meter and women’s 10-meter) and picking up five of a possible eight individual spots (two apiece in men’s and women’s 3-meter and one in women’s 10-meter). Additional qualifying opportunities will be available at the Pan American Games in October and the World Aquatics Championships next February.

With the conclusion of diving events, the focus at the World Aquatic Championships now shifts to high diving. High diving events will take place July 25-27, and the U.S. will field a team of seven high divers.