USA's Joshua Hedberg, Kayla Jensen, Anna Lemkin and Josh Sollenberger won the mixed team event gold medal at the World Aquatics Junior Diving Championships
USA Wins Mixed Team Event Gold at Junior World Championships
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USA’s Joshua Hedberg, Kayla Jensen, Anna Lemkin and Josh Sollenberger captured the gold medal in the mixed 3-meter and platform team event on Sunday, the opening day of the World Aquatics Junior Diving Championships in Rio de Janeiro.
The U.S. team combined for 361.50 points for the gold, with silver going to Team Australia (338.00) and bronze to Team Ukraine (329.40).
In the mixed 3-meter and platform team event, all six groups of dives must be represented and two mixed synchronized dives must be performed.
On 3-meter, Jensen scored 54 points on a front 2 ½ with one twist and Sollenberger added 60.80 points on a front 4 ½ tuck. Lemkin and Hedberg then teamed up for 58.20 points on a synchronized back 2 ½ tuck on 3-meter.
Lemkin and Hedberg also dove on 10-meter. Lemkin earned 54.40 points on an armstand back double somersault with 1 ½ twists, with Hedberg scoring 66.30 points on a reverse 3 ½ tuck. The two platform divers then scored 67.20 points on a synchronized inward 3 ½ tuck.
Three of the four mixed team event divers also competed in another event on Sunday.
Lemkin paired with Lanie Gutch to finish fourth with 267.78 points in the girls’ synchronized platform event. Mexico scored 276.30 points for gold, narrowing edging Australia (275.76). Great Britain was a close third at 275.16 points for bronze.
Sollenberger teamed up with Luke Sitz to score 254.10 points for fifth in the boys’ synchronized 3-meter contest. Mexico won the gold with 287.07 points, while Italy (283.86) and Croatia (281.55) came away with silver and bronze.
Jensen finished fourth with 302.75 points in the 14-15 girls’ 1-meter preliminary to advance to Monday’s final. USA’s Ava Jolley also advanced with a score of 286.05, good for 10th in the preliminary.
The Junior World Championships continue through December 1. Monday features the 14-15 girls’ 1-meter along with preliminaries and finals in the boys’ 16-18 3-meter event. Sollenberger and Sitz will represent the United States in that event.
