Three Blue Devils Shine at FINA Diving World Cup

DURHAM, N.C. - Three Duke divers recently traveled to Changzhou, China to take on the world's best in the FINA Diving World Cup. Rising junior Abby Johnston, rising sophomore Nick McCrory and incoming freshman Haley Ishimatsu all represented USA Diving in the five-day international competition, which began on June 2.

Ishimatsu won a gold medal in the inaugural "team event" on June 1, a competition in which a male and female diver form a team and complete three dives each on the 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform. Ishimatsu paired with David Boudia of Purdue University to score 455.35 points, taking first place ahead of 11 other teams. In addition, Ishimatsu finished eighth in the women's 10-meter synchronized even and 13th in the individual 10-meter competition.

A native of Seal Beach, Calif., Ishimatsu will make her debut as a Blue Devil during the 2010-11 season.

Johnston also experienced success at the competition, finishing eighth in the women's individual 3-meter event on Saturday. Johnston led all U.S. divers with her score of 321.75.

A rising junior from Upper Arlington, Ohio, Johnston won the one-meter and three-meter titles at the ACC Championships and was selected as the ACC Female Diver of the Year. She also recorded fourth and 14th-place finishes at the NCAA Championships.

McCrory took eighth in the men's 10-meter event, scoring 482.20 points in Sunday's finals. He notched a score of 91.80 on his back 2 ½ with 2 ½ twists and an 86.40 on his inward 3 ½. McCrory also paired with Boudia to claim fourth in the men's synchronized 10-meter event. The duo scored 448.89 points to finish behind teams from China, Russia and Cuba.

McCrory and Boudia also competed as a 10-meter syncho pair in May at the AT&T USA Diving Grand Prix. The duo took home the gold medal at that event, and was selected to the ballot for the U.S. Olympic Committee's Team of the Month award. Fans can vote for McCrory and Boudia on the USOC's Twitter page at http://twtpoll.com/0gvve4.

A product of Chapel Hill, N.C., McCrory won the platform diving national title at the NCAA 2010 Swimming and Diving Championships, in addition to two ACC diving titles. He was also named the ACC Male Diver of the Year and the ACC Male Freshman of the Year.

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