Three Canes on Verge of Olympic Diving Dreams
INDIANAPOLIS — Three Miami Hurricanes divers are on the cusp of lifelong dreams at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at the IU Natatorium on the campus of IUPUI this week.
Sam Dorman enters Wednesday’s synchronized 3-meter finals in first place with partner Michael Hixon. Sophomore Briadam Herrera is in sixth place in the 3-meter individual event entering Saturday’s final round, while redshirt freshman David Dinsmore will enter Sunday’s finals of the platform in a heated battle for second place.
The finals of the synchronized 3-meter will air live on NBC Sports Network at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday, with the top team earning the right to represent the U.S. at this summer’s Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.
Two divers from both 3-meter and platform will be selected to represent the U.S.; those finals are set for Saturday at 4:40 p.m. ET and Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET, respectively.
Hixon and Dorman, who was the 2015 NCAA national champion in the 3-meter individual event in his final season at Miami, have a sizable lead heading into Wednesday’s finals. Despite teaming up less than a month ago, the duo totaled 871.53 points through semifinals – a healthy lead on the second-place team of Troy Dumais and Kristian Ipsen (815.01).
“That’s what so special about Sam,” Miami head diving coach Randy Ableman said. “He came in not even as a very highly touted recruit, but a very raw talent with a lot of ability I knew it would take a couple of years to develop. He’s worked his tail off…it’s a testament to all of his hard work. It’s not easy to make huge strides once you’re in college, and he just keeps getting better. He’s better now than he was a month ago.”
Ableman said Dorman’s work ethic has been the key to his rise from All-American to national champion, and now to the cusp of U.S. Olympian.
“He’s absolutely at the top of his game,” Ableman said. “He’s in perfect shape. He’s doing the hardest dives in the world, and doing them spectacularly. It’s very gratifying to be a part of that development, and to see a kid achieve so many of his goals and dreams.”
The run of Herrera, a four-time ACC gold medalist and an All-American in his first two years as a Hurricane, has exceeded Ableman’s expectations.
“Briadam has been unbelievable. From a points standpoint, he might not be in striking distance, but he has performed so well,” Ableman said. “Our goal was to make the finals, to be in the top 12. For him to be in sixth place and to be competing against the very best in the world, it really bodes well for his future.”
Dinsmore posted a third-place score of 953.90 in the platform, less than eight points fewer than second-place finisher Steele Johnson of Purdue (961.80). The diver in first place (David Boudia) is the defending gold medalist from the 2012 Olympics.
“David and Steele are in quite a battle, and David is definitely within striking distance,” Ableman said. “He’s at the top of his game, and Sunday night will be an awesome competition for him. I know he can put it together and make some magic happen.”
Dorman and Dinsmore are aiming to become the first Hurricanes diving duo to qualify for the Olympics since Reuben Ross (Canada) and Jenna Dreyer (South Africa) did so in 2008. The last Hurricane to represent the U.S. as an Olympic diver was Brittany Viola, who did so in 2012.
