Will Wilkinson perform a 'monster dive'?

Here are some snippets from a USA Diving press conference earlier on Sunday in Beijing:

Laura Wilkinson

Q: Are you planning to use a monster dive as part of your program in Beijing?
A: “I’ve been training it, but we’re not sure if we’re going to use it. We’ll keep training it for another week and maybe make a decision. It’s a 3.8 in difficulty.”

Q: Can you win the gold again?
A: “All the pieces are there. It all depends on who’s on their mental game that day, that moment. Diving’s a crazy sport. You have five rounds and you never know what’s going to happen.”

Kelci Bryant

Q: Does having a Chinese coach (Wenbo Chen) on your team help as far as a home-court advantage?
A: “We’re not the only country that has a Chinese coach in diving. Australia has Chinese coaches, Great Britain has Chinese coaches. I don’t think it gives us an advantage, but I think he’s the best coach. A lot or Chinese coaches have moved on to other countries.”

Troy Dumais

Q: What will be the deciding factor in what people will say is a face off between China and the United States?
A: “I don’t see anything between China and the United States because we compete together, we’re friends and we have a great time together. We compete to better each other. In a nutshell what’s going to decide who wins and who gets second, it becomes a mental game. Everybody who is here is prepared for the competition. It’s that given day that a certain athlete can prove themselves to be ahead of the game by being prepared and ready for whatever situation comes out.”

Photo: Laura Wilkinson during a practice dive at the National Aquatic Center in Beijing on Sunday. Credit: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

Dumais wins another diving title

Three more Olympians will head to Beijing with another national title on their resumes while a 2004 Olympian closed out her career with her first individual title.

Troy Dumais of Ventura earned four 10s on his front two and a half with two twists to cruise to his 26th national title at the National Diving Championships in Pasadena Sunday. He finished with 521.90 points.

Olympians Chris Colwill and Jevon Tarantino won their third 3-meter synchro title with 433.44 points.

And Cassandra Cardinell, a 2004 Olympian, capped her career with her first individual national title, edging out three-time Olympian Laura Wilkinson, 335.45-328.40. Wilkinson, in fact, was leading heading into the final round and with her difficult back two and a half with two and a half twists still to come. But she scored mostly 6 and 6.5. Cardinell then had her turn and nailed her back two and a half with one and a half twists for 83.30 points, enough to push her past Wilkinson. Read more about it from Jordan Schultz's report.

Photo: Troy Dumais performs in the men's 3-meter springboard final at the National Diving Championships at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center. Credit: Gus Ruelas / Associated Press

Boudia and Finchum take U.S. 10-meter synchronized title

David Boudia and Thomas Finchum tuned up for the Beijing Games by scoring a career-high 464.04 points while winning the 10-meter synchronized platform title at the U.S. national diving championships earlier today at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena.

Boudia and Finchum, who earned three 10s and registered at least one 9.0 for each of their six dives, hope to strike gold during the synchronized platform competition in China next month.

Nick McCrory won his first national title with a career-high 521.70 points on the individual 10-meter.

Nancilea Foster won the women’s three-meter springboard title with 349.35, beating Olympic teammate Christina Loukas, who finished with 340.95. Olympians Kelci Bryant and Ariel Rittenhouse won their second straight synchronized three-meter title with 308.10.

Photo: Thomas Finchum, below, and David Boudia, shown during the men's synchronized 10-meter finals at the U.S. national diving championships at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena earlier today. Credit: Reed Saxon/Associated Press Photo

Cardinell, McCrory lead U.S. national diving championships

Cassandra Cardinell and Nick McCrory led the women’s and men’s 10-meter platform semifinals on Friday night in the U.S. national diving championships at Pasadena's Rose Bowl Aquatics Center.

Cardinell scored 333.50 points and scored six 8.5s on her first dive, a back armstand with two somersaults and 1-1/2 twists. Olympian Laura Wilkinson finished second in the semifinals with 323.10 points.
Wilkinson competed even though members of the Beijing-bound Olympic team automatically advanced to Sunday's finals. Wilkinson competed in order to practice her toughest dive, a backward 2-1/2 somersault with 2 -1/2 twists from the pike position.

Wilkinson hadn’t completed that dive, which carries a 3.8 degree of difficulty, in competition since 2006. She earned marks of mostly 5.5s.
"It’s actually been going a little better than that in practice,” she said. She's the only woman in the world who performs the dive in competition.

"I got a little nervous and didn’t quite do the right takeoff," Wilkinson said. "It’s kind of good to get it off in a meet and see how it goes so the next time I do it, maybe I’ll be a little more relaxed.”

In the men’s semifinals, McCrory scored 483.40 points and leads Matt Cooper by more than 75 points. McCrory earned three 9.5s on his inward 3-1/2 tuck, and scored 9s and 9.5s on two other dives. Cooper finished Friday with 407.40 points. Daniel Frebel was third with  400.15, and Landon Marzullo was fourth with 384.05.

-- Greg Johnson

Photo: Nick McCrory competes in the men's 10-meter platform semifinals at the National Diving Championships at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena on Friday. Credit: Reed Saxon/Associated Press

Olympian Loukas adds another diving title

When Olympian Christina Loukas heads to the Beijing Games, she'll have another national title to bring along. Loukas successfully defended her 1-meter U.S. title Thursday night at the Kaiser Permanente National Diving Championships at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center.

Loukas scored 264.80 points, enough to edge out her synchronized diving partner, Amanda Miller, who took second with 259.65. Loukas had won the same event last year during the nationals. Kassidy Cook, 13, was in third place with 244.30.

The three divers will compete Saturday in the 3-meter women's finals. Loukas will compete in the 3-meter in Beijing.

Kristian Ipsen scored 436.45 during Thursday night's men’s 3-meter competition and will advance to Sunday’s finals. Terry Horner, who on Wednesday won the men's 1-meter title, finished second with 396.00. Matt Cooper was third with 395.25.

The top 12 divers in the semifinals moved on to the finals. Olympic team members automatically advance to the finals. Troy Dumais is expected to compete, although Chris Colwill likely will dive only in Sunday’s men’s 3-meter synchro finals with teammate Jevon Tarantino.

Today's competition begins at noon, with men’s and women’s 10-meter quarterfinals and semifinals.

-- Greg Johnson

Photo: Christina Loukas secured her place on the U.S. Olympic team on June 21 during trials in Indianapolis. Credit: Harry How/Getty Images

But do they get Dodger dogs??

The top-ranked U.S. beach volleyball duo, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, accompanied by Sean Rosenthal of the second-ranked U.S. team, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium on Friday before the Dodgers' game against the Washington Nationals.

Also due to participate are Misty May-Treanor, who will team with Kerri Walsh to defend their beach volleyball gold medal, and Nicole Branagh, whose playing partner will be Elaine Youngs.

Saturday's ceremonial first pitch participants will be Beijing-bound divers Troy Dumais of Ventura and Laura Wilkinson, as well as 2004 gymnastics Olympian Mohini Bhardwaj.

-- Helene Elliott

Fun with numbers, Olympic edition

For the U.S. Olympic Committee, the Beijing Games is all a numbers thing.

But first a trivia question:

3: The number of states that do not have a representative on the U.S. Olympic team headed to Beijing. Name them (answer at the end).

Now for the real numbers.

596: The number of athletes on the U.S. team, 310 men and 286 women.

30: The number of sports, including the newest Olympic disciplines of BMX, open-water swimming and women's steeplechase.

2= 0: The U.S. will not compete in men's field hockey and team handball.

5 x 41 = 9: There are three five-time Olympians, including 41-year-old Dara Torres of L.A., who will swim at an Olympic Games for her third consecutive decade (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2008). Torres will also enter the Games as the most decorated U.S. Olympic athlete, with nine Olympic medals to her name (four gold, one silver and four bronze).

12: The number of athletes who will be competing in their fourth Olympic Games.

8: The number of gold medals Michael Phelps is after as he looks to make history by surpassing Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals in 1972.

1 + 3: Sheila Taormina (modern pentathlon) already made sports history when she became the first woman to qualify for the Olympics in three sports (swimming, triathlon and modern pentathlon). This will be her fourth U.S. Olympic team (1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008).

47: The number of states that will have athlete representatives competing in Beijing, based upon athletes' listed hometown affiliation.

175: The number of Olympic athletes who are from California, the most of any state.

4 > 50: Four members of the team competing in Beijing next month are over 50 years old. Distinction as the oldest goes to sailor John Dane III, who is 58. Libby Callahan (shooting) will become the oldest U.S. female Olympian of all time, at 56.

15: The age of the youngest team members, part of the women's 10-meter synchro team in diving. Mary Beth Dunnichay edges partner Haley Ishimatsu (of Seal Beach) as the youngest U.S. athlete.

3 + 1: Olympic history is being made as Steven, Mark and Diana Lopez (all taekwondo) become the first three siblings on the U.S. Olympic team since 1904. They will be coached in Beijing by their eldest brother, Jean.

20: The number of U.S. Olympic athletes who are mothers. Among them is Torres, as well as three-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie (Sparks) and 2004 Olympic champion Jennie Finch (softball/La Mirada).

Trivia answer: Montana, North Dakota and Vermont.

-- Debbie Goffa

Photo: Left to right, Mark, Steven and Diana Lopez. All three will compete in taekwondo. Credit: Pat Sullivan / Associated Press

USA Diving wins arbitration dispute

Laura Wilkinson and diving partner Jessica Livingston on Friday lost an arbitration hearing to overturn USA Diving's decision not to have the pair compete in synchronized platform at the Beijing Olympics.

Wilkinson, the 2000 Olympic platform champion, and Livingston filed an appeal of the decision by USA Diving with the American Arbitration Assn.

USA Diving, in a prepared statement, said that the arbitrator, "in a strong ruling ... held in favor of USA Diving and its selection of Mary Beth Dunnichay and Haley Ishimatsu as the USA's women's synchronized 10-meter team for the 2008 Olympic Games."

USA Diving Chief Executive Debbie Hesse said in a statement that the organization's selection procedures were "reviewed in great detail by our organization and the United States Olympic Committee, and after a thorough review were approved by both organizations."

"USA Diving has a strong and long history of Olympic success and supporting athletes' rights," Hesse said. "We hope our athletes and coaches can move past this and form a strongly-bonded team at the Olympic Games."

Wilkinson, 30, will compete in the individual 10-meter platform competition at next month’s Olympics.

-- Greg Johnson

Photo: Haley Ishimatsu of Seal Beach waves during the 10-meter platform preliminaries last month at the USA Diving Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis. Credit: Harry How/Getty Images

Diving spat?

Laura Wilkinson and her diving partner Jessica Livingston have asked an arbitrator to overturn a decision not to have them compete in synchronized platform at the Beijing Olympics, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Wilkinson, the 2000 Olympic platform champion, and Livingston filed an appeal of the decision by the USA Diving selection committee with the American Arbitration Assn., the newspaper said on its web site tonight. It also said a hearing is set for Friday here in Los Angeles.

Wilkinson, 30, earned a spot in the individual 10-meter platform competition at next month’s Olympics by winning the U.S. trials in June.

She and Livingston, the newspaper said, are asking in their 10-page complaint to be placed on the team or that USA Diving hold another competition to see if they or the team of 15-year-olds Haley Ishimatsu (from Seal Beach) and Mary Beth Dunnichay should compete in Beijing.

The Associated Press was unable to immediately reach Wilkinson. But Debbie Hesse, USA Diving chief executive, issued a statement, saying, "USA Diving stands behind our selection procedures, the selection process and the selectors’ decision.

Ishimatsu and Dunnichay were named to the team after they split four competitions with Wilkinson and Livingston at a selection camp earlier this month. USA Diving had changed its selection process for Beijing, choosing the synchro teams at the camp instead of at the trials.

-- Debbie Goffa

Photo: Laura Wilkinson, left, and partner Jessica Livingston during the 10-meter syncronized diving finals at the U.S. Diving Grand Prix in May. Credit: Andrew Innerarity / South Florida Sun Sentinel