Wilkinson's Pursuit of Her Last Olympic Diving Berth Shakes Out Perfectly

INDIANAPOLIS, June 22 -- Laura Wilkinson crawled out of the water, bowed toward the pool, then looked up at the scoreboard.

Nothing but 10s.

With the first perfect dive of her long career, Wilkinson locked up a third -- and final -- trip to the Olympics, holding off teenage phenom Haley Ishimatsu on 10-meter platform at the U.S. diving trials Sunday.

"It's kind of bittersweet knowing this will be the last one," said the 30-year-old Texan, who won gold on the big tower at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and plans to retire after Beijing.

Wilkinson's triumph notwithstanding, youth was served on the final day of the meet.

Nineteen-year-old David Boudia beat 18-year-old Thomas Finchum, his close friend and longtime training partner, in a battle of 10s on the men's platform.

The once-dominant American team is eager to make up for its medal shutout at Athens four years ago, and Boudia might have the best chance to take down the powerful Chinese.

"We've seen them get beat before," Boudia said. "We know they can be beaten, which is good to know."

Wilkinson botched her second dive badly, her legs flailing apart as she crashed into the water. But, as she's known for doing, she bounced back with a remarkable effort the next time she went off the 33-foot-tall tower. On a reverse 3 1/2 somersault tuck, Wilkinson barely made a splash on her entry into the pool.

Taking a cue from the Chinese, she decided to bow toward the pool after each dive in the finals. Now, after scoring all 10s for the first time, she's hoping to take another medal into retirement.

"I feel like they always count me out," she said. "That's fine with me. You have more pressure when you're the favorite. The Chinese will have to deal with the pressure."

Wilkinson totaled 1,214.50 points over three rounds. Ishimatsu, who likely will be selected for the second 10-meter spot at a camp that begins next week in Knoxville, Tenn., was second with 1,140.40.

Boudia heads to Beijing with the look of a potential star, having finished third in the Olympic pool during a World Cup meet in February. The U.S. men have not won an Olympic gold on platform since Greg Louganis captured his second straight at the 1988 Seoul Games.

The teenager from suburban Indianapolis received perfect marks from six of the seven judges for his fourth attempt, a reverse 3 1/2 somersault tuck. He got five more 10s in the next-to-last round with an even tougher dive, the back 3 1/2 somersault from the pike position. Both times, he barely rippled the water's surface.

Boudia finished with 1,642.20, while Finchum had to settle for runner-up with 1583.50 despite receiving 10s on three of his six dives.

Finchum will almost certainly be joining the rival he calls "a brother" in Beijing. He should get the other platform spot when the rest of the team is announced July 7. Also, he and Boudia also are expected to be picked as the 10-meter synchro team.

Finchum actually had the highest score at the trials, which was comprised of three rounds with six dives each. But Boudia came into the meet with a 65-point bonus for finishing third at the World Cup.