Dumais Gets One More Win at Trials

ST. PETERS, Mo. — Troy Dumais knew he didn’t need to win to clinch another spot on the U.S. Olympic diving team.

It didn’t matter.

Dumais, using a more difficult program than any of his rivals, won the 3-meter springboard at the trials Friday night, clinching a spot that he already had earned with a synchronized win.

Dumais struggled on his first two dives, but a pep talk from his coach, Ken Armstrong, helped turn things around. The diver finished with his highest score of the night, earning a row of 8.5s and 9.0s for a reverse pike 2 1/2 somersault with 1 1/2 twists.

“I started out flat. I don’t know why,” Dumais said. “I pulled Kenny aside and said, ‘This isn’t working.’ He didn’t lay into me, but he said, ‘This doesn’t matter. You’ve already made the team. But you’re better than this.’ I took it to heart.”

Armstrong told Dumais to do more jumping around between dives, which helped get his emotions under control.

“Dumais totaled 1,151.37 points, and the second spot on the Olympic team went to his training partner, Justin Wilcock of Smithfield, Utah. He earned his first Olympic berth when Phillip Jones faltered. Wilcock finished with 1,117.38 points. Jones, who was second after the preliminaries, slipped to third with 1,073.13.