U.S. women captures silver in synchronized diving

LONDON - Kelci Bryant and Abby Johnston captured the silver medal in women's synchronized 3-meter diving Sunday to earn the United States' first Olympic medal in the sport.

Bryant, 23, of Chatham, Ill., and Johnston, 22, of Upper Arlington, Ohio, successfully completed the last of five dives - a back 2½ somersault - and scored 321.90 points. That secured their second-place finish.

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China's Wu Minxia and He Zi emphatically won the gold with 346.20. Canada's Emilie Heymans and Jennifer Abel took the bronze with 316.80.

Since synchro events were introduced in 2000, U.S. teams had gone 0-for-12 in attempts for medals.

It was the third successive gold in the event for Wu. She and He finished first and second on individual 3-meter at the 2011 World Championships.

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It was Wu's fifth Olympic diving medal, pulling her within one of Guo Jingjing's record of six.

Although Bryant and Johnston were fourth here at February's World Cup and medaled in three subsequent World Series diving events, they were not mentioned in the Olympic News Service preview.

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Bryant finished fourth at the 2008 Olympics with a different teammate, Ariel Rittenhouse. Bryant (Minnesota) and Johnston (Duke) have both been individual NCAA champions on 3-meter.

Bryant, a native Chatham, Ill., spent most of the past eight years in Indiana. She won a 2005 state title for Harrison High School in West Lafayette and then trained in Indianapolis. She started college at Miami (Fla.), returned to Indianapolis and later transferred to Minnesota.

David Woods writes for The Indianapolis Star.

USA TODAY