DURHAM, N.C. – Current Blue Devil Jaimee Gundry and former Duke national champion Abby Johnston will look to qualify their respective countries for the 2016 Olympic Games this weekend in Rio de Janeiro. The two divers will compete at the FINA Diving World Cup Friday through next Wednesday in Rio.
Each country may qualify a maximum of 12 spots in diving – one in each of the four synchronized events and two in each of the four individual events.
There are only eight qualifying spots available in synchronized diving events, and one automatically goes to the host country. Three spots for 2016 were awarded to the countries that medaled at last year’s World Championships. The remaining four spots will be determined at the World Cup, where the top four countries not yet qualified will punch their tickets to the 2016 Olympic Games.
In individual events, the top 12 finishers at last year’s World Championships plus winners of continental championships have already earned quota spots for their countries. Divers will aim for a top-18 finish at the World Cup to secure remaining quota spots, although places lower than 18th may be awarded spots depending on previous results. Each country can earn only two spots, and the same diver cannot secure more than one quota spot on an event. If countries or divers who have already earned quota spots finish in the top 18 at the World Cup, places lower than 18th may be awarded spots.
Johnston is slated to represent the United States in the individual and synchronized 3-meter springboard competitions. The women’s synchronized 3-meter preliminaries will take place Saturday while the individual 3-meter preliminaries are set forMonday in Rio.
A 2013 graduate of Duke, Johnston was a silver medalist in the women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard event at the 2012 London Olympics.
The U.S. will select its 2016 Olympic Team at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Diving in Indianapolis from June 18-26.
Gundry will represent her native country of South Africa in the women’s 10-meter platform event, with preliminaries scheduled for Saturday. The Duke senior has previously represented South Africa at the FINA World Championships and the FINA World Cup.
All finals sessions of the FINA Diving World Cup will be broadcast in the United States on Universal HD and NBC Sports Network. Click here for the full broadcast schedule.
Swimming news courtesy of Duke Swimming & Diving.