Colturi wins two titles to close out Speedo USA Diving Spring National Championships

(FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.) - David Colturi (Sylvania, Ohio/West Lafayette, Ind.) won a pair of national titles and Abby Johnston (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Durham, N.C.) won her first individual title to close out the Speedo USA Diving Spring National Championships on Sunday.

Colturi, a sophomore at Purdue University, scored 424.05 points to win the men's platform competition. He scored 70 or more points on four of his six dives, including 76.50 on each of his last two dives to claim his first national title; he was second on platform at last year's summer nationals and took third on 1-meter earlier this week.

"I didn't have any big hits, but I didn't have any big misses. I knew I was up toward the top, and I just kept going for consistency," he said. "I stayed calm and had fun."

Daniel Mazzaferro (Cheshire, Conn./Auburn, Ala.) scored 409.20 for second, and Sean Moore (Englewood, Colo./Columbus, Ohio) was third with 388.55 points.

Colturi and Moore also won the men's synchronized platform competition with 395.28 points.

Johnston, a Duke freshman who had previously won two national titles in synchronized 3-meter, came through for her first individual win on women's 3-meter with 301.50 points, highlighted by a 67.50-point showing on her inward 2 ½ in the fourth round.

"It was really unexpected. I thought it was possible, but the fact that it actually came true was unbelievable," Johnston said. "I wasn't nervous; I just listened to music and danced. I wasn't worried about the outcome. I didn't know what place I was in. I was just happy with how I was doing."

Chelsea Davis (Columbus, Ohio) took second with 291.15, and Olympian Christina Loukas (Riverwoods, Ill./Bloomington, Ind.) finished third with 288.30 points after relinquishing the lead in the fourth round.

Loukas did come back to win the synchronized women's 3-meter title later in the day, when she paired with Amanda Miller (Centreville, Va./West Lafayette, Ind.) for a first-place 310.80 points. It was their first national title ogether. 2000 Olympian Michelle Davison Sandelin (Boca Raton, Fla.) came out of a 2004 retirement and dove with Allison Brennan (Huntington Beach, Calif./Columbia, S.C.); they scored 282.33 for second.

In all, 10 national titles were awarded throughout the five-day competition. Many divers will now prepare for Grand Prix competitions in Canada next week and in Fort Lauderdale from May 7-9.

April 26 Results

Women's 3-meter final

1. Abby Johnston, Duke Aquatics Diving, 301.50;2. Chelsea Davis, Unattached, 291.15;3. Christina Loukas, Indiana University, Bloomington, 288.30;4. Brittney Feldman, Indiana University, Bloomington, 279.90;5. Cheyenne Cousineau, Legacy Diving Assoc., 272.10;6. Kassidy Cook, The Woodlands Diving Academy, 271.30;7. Cherie Hammond, Team Orlando Diving, 269.25;8. Amanda Miller, Purdue University / Boilers Diving Academy, 258.50;9. Thea Vock, Team Orlando Diving, 255.85;10. Taryn Zack, South Carolina Divers, 255.75;11. Amanda Burke, Rough Riders Aquatic Club, 249.05;12. Amanda Largent, Conroe Diving Club, 244.30;13. Audra Egenolf, Unattached, 223.15.

Men's platform final

1. David Colturi, Purdue University / Boilers Diving Academy, 424.05;2. Daniel Mazzaferro, Auburn Diving, 409.20;3. Sean Moore, Unattached, 388.55;4. Andrew Brown, Twin City Divers, 355.00;5. Ryan Hawkins, Carolina Diving Academy, 339.75;6. Nicholas Klein, Duke Aquatics Diving, 329.60;7. Kyle Mitrione, Purdue University / Boilers Diving Academy, 325.45;8. Kristoffer Jorgensen, Unattached, 307.55;9. Weston Wieser, Unattached, 301.20;10. Christopher Khosravi, Cougar Diving Club, 299.10;11. Cole Young, Twin City Divers, 291.50;12. Toby Stanley, Unattached, 289.50;13. Chris Rojewski, West Point Diving Club, 161.50.

Synchronized women's 3-meter final

1. Amanda Miller, Purdue University / Boilers Diving Academy/Christina Loukas, Indiana University, Bloomington, 310.80;2. Allison Brennan, South Carolina Divers/Michelle Davison Sandelin, Unattached, 282.33;3. Kassidy Cook, The Woodlands Diving Academy/Loren Figueroa, Conroe Diving Club, 268.80;4. Kathryn Connolly, San Antonio Divers/Rebecca St. Germain, San Antonio Divers, 259.92;5. Abby Johnston, Duke Aquatics Diving/Brittney Feldman, Indiana University, Bloomington, 252.60;6. Audra Egenolf, Unattached/Courtney Forcucci, Cougar Diving Club, 250.38.

Synchronized men's platform final

1. David Colturi, Purdue University / Boilers Diving Academy/Sean Moore, Unattached, 395.28;2. Andrew Brown, Twin City Divers/Cole Young, Twin City Divers, 323.19;3. Ryan Hawkins, Carolina Diving Academy/Christopher Khosravi, Cougar Diving Club, 306.90.