Dumais, Wilkinson win diving titles

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Two-time Olympian Troy Dumais won the 3-meter title in the USA Diving Spring National Championships, surging past Jevon Tarantino in the final round Saturday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

In the women's 10 meters, 2000 Olympic gold medalist Laura Wilkinson easily beat Haley Ishimatsu.

Tarantino appeared to be sailing to the men's title, leading the field after each of the first five rounds. But he went long on his vertical entry in the final dive, opening the way for Dumais to make up ground and slip past.

"I said to myself, 'Hey, you're not done,"' said Dumais, who trailed Tarantino by 9.35 points going into the final round. "I had to regroup, I wanted to get it right then and there, I wanted to win the contest."

Dumais nailed his final dive, picking up 87.5 points to grab his 25th national championship in what he felt was the best field he's ever faced.

"We're doing what's necessary to be the best, to compete with the best in the world," Dumais said. "It makes me feel great to win, don't get me wrong. But I have to better myself. This is a great group of divers."

Tarantino finished third after scoring just 50.75 on his final dive, with Kristian Ipsen coming in second behind Dumais.

Wilkinson took charge early in the platform final to edge Ishimatsu by 18 points. Brittany Viola, the daughter of former major league pitcher Frank Viola, was third.

Wilkinson's national championship was the 23rd of her career and the second of the week. She teamed with Jessica Livingston to win the 10-meter synchronized dive on Thursday. She won the title Saturday after adding a back 31/2 summersault pike, a dive she abandoned for the past year after having trouble on the takeoff.

"It's nice to have some options," Wilkinson said. "This was a good time to bring it out and try it."

Adding and subtracting dives in the middle of a competitive season is rare, but Wilkinson doesn't mind changing things up.

"I do it a lot," she said. "I've stepped up my degree of difficulty recently. It keeps it fun, it keeps it exciting."

The Spring Nationals conclude Sunday with finals in the women's 3 meters and men's 10 meters. The Olympic diving trials start June 18 in Indianapolis, with meets before and after.

"It's a crazy schedule," Wilkinson said.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.