David Boudia only needed 38.20 points on his final dive to pass Thomas Finchum and win the U.S. Olympic Diving Trials. He got a lot more - 96.9 to be exact, capping off a dominating performance in the finals of the men’s platform in Indianapolis.

Boudia was so dominant that he averaged over 100 points on his final three dives, and he received 11 scores of 10 out of a possible 14 on his fourth and fifth dives.


It is the kind of performance that could earn him a medal in Beijing.

“My last three dives are my best dives,” said Boudia. “I wanted to show the crowd what I can do, and I did. I’m happy the meet is over. I’m actually an Olympian.”

Boudia scored 550.30 points on his six dives in finals. A score that should put him in medal contention in China.

“There is definite possibility that he could be on top of the podium,” said coach John Wingfield of his chances at the Olympics. “550 is a podium score. The performance today is his best to date.”

The hard work and sacrifices that Boudia, and training partner Thomas Finchum, have endured have finally paid off. “I’ve given up a lot,” said Boudia. “I don’t regret giving it up because now I’m an Olympian.”

“Their dedication and devotion to the sport,” said Wingfield, referring to a main reason for their success. “Nine years of full-time training, the last two spending between 36 to 40 hours a week.”

While Boudia was clearly the best in the finals, the top three finishers in the event – Boudia, Finchum and Drew Livingston, were so far ahead of the rest of the field that each could have received zero points on their final dives and still finished 1-2-3.

That is no consolation for Finchum who was cleary disappointed with his six dives today, but happy for Boudia.

“I didn’t do my dives to the best of my ability,” said Finchum. “I came here with every expectation of making the team. If I couldn’t be on the team, then I’d rather have David (make the team).”
Finchum’s list of dives in the finals, while not good enough to catch Boudia, is nothing to scoff at. He scored 518.25 in finals, 541.30 in the semifinals, and 523.95 in the preliminaries. Those three consistent diving lists must be taken into account by the selection committee who will choose the second Olympic berth for men’s platform.
“Thomas has nothing to be ashamed of,” said Wingfield.

“Those first two lists you can’t take back,” added Boudia on Finchum’s performance at the trials. “And I know the (Olympic Team) selectors saw that.”

Finchum pulled within 10 points of Boudia after his first dive, an inward 3 ½ somersaults in tuck. That was as close as he came as Boudia hit his next two dives and then decided to see how many 10s he could amass.

On his fourth dive, a reverse 3 ½ somersaults in tuck, Boudia earned six 10s. On his fifth dive, a back 2 ½ somersaults in pike, he received five. By that time the outcome was a forgone conclusion, and he only received scores of 8 and 8.5 on his highest difficulty dive, a back 2 ½ somersaults with 2 ½ twists.

Boudia and Finchum will get one day off and then it’s back to training in anticipation of the Olympic Selection Camp in July in Knoxville, Tenn. The top-six finishers in the competition automatically receive an invitation to attend the camp. At stake will be the second platform spot on the team, in addition to the synchro platform selection.

1. Men's 10-meter Platform Final Results
   
2. David Boudia (Noblesville, Ind.) – 1642.20
3. Thomas Finchum (Indianapolis) – 1583.50
4. Drew Livingston (The Woodlands, Texas) –1443.15
5. Nick McCrory (Chapel Hill, N.C.) – 1345.35
6. JJ Kinzbach (Montgomery, Texas) – 1285.60
7. Matthew Cooper (Bethesda, Md.) – 1246.70
8. Daniel Mazzaferro (Cheshire, Conn.) – 1246.30
9. Harrison Jones (Spring, Texas) – 1233.75
10. David Colturi (Sylvania, Ohio) – 1229.30
11. Weston Wieser (Chesterfield, Mo.) – 1213.70
12. Sean Moore (Englewood, Colo.) – 1129.30