Schultz Wins Bronze on First Day of Madrid Grand Prix
From USADiving.com
MADRID, Spain- Brooke Schultz (Fayetteville, Arkansas) clinched the bronze medal for Team USA in Friday’s women’s 3-meter finals on day one of the Madrid FINA Grand Prix, while Alison Gibson (Austin, Texas) finished sixth in the same event. Zachary Cooper (Greenwood, Ind./Miami, Fla.) and Jacob Cornish (Honolulu, Hawaii/Austin, Texas) placed fourth and fifth in the men’s 10-meter platform finals.
Schultz, who won the silver medal in last weekend’s Bolzano FINA Grand Prix, gave Team USA its first medal after scoring 312.70 points for third place in the women’s 3-meter final, edging Holland’s Inge Jansen by 3.20 points. China’s Chen Yiwen scored 342.90 points for gold.
Schultz began the finals in a three-way tie for second place after a front 2 ½ somersaults with one twist scored her 63.00 points. In the second round Schultz remained up to second following her most successful dive, a front 3 ½ pike for 68.20 points, just 2.30 points behind China’s Huang Xiaohui. Schultz dropped to third in the next round as Xiaohui maintained her 2.30 point lead over Schultz and Chen jumped up to first place. Schultz held third place in the final two rounds, while Huang took silver after finishing 25.25 points ahead of Schultz, and Chen clinched the gold. Gibson, who struggled throughout the finals, finished sixth with 242.85 points.
“Brooke did an amazing job,” coach Abel Sanchez said. “She dove consistently and strong.”
Cooper scored 370.00 points to finish fourth in the 10-meter final, 20.40 points behind bronze medal winner Aiden Heslop of England. Tai Xiaohu of China won the gold medal with 462.90 points. Cornish finished fifth, 23.10 points behind Cooper.
The Madrid FINA Grand Prix continues Saturday with Grayson Campbell (Vienna, Va./Austin, Texas) and Briadam Herrera (Miami, Fla.) competing in the men’s 3-meter preliminaries and Olivia Rosendahl (Los Angeles, Calif./Evanston, Ill.) and Katrina Young (Shoreline, Wash./Tallahassee, Fla.) diving in the women’s 10-meter synchro finals. Murphy Bromberg (Bexley, Ohio/Austin, Texas) and Amy Cozad Magaña (Indianapolis, Ind.) will compete in the women’s 10-meter platform preliminaries. The FINA Grand Prix can be watched live on FINA TV and on La Liga 4 Sports.
