Courtesy: CSU Athletics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Her second dive of the preliminaries put Lindsay Gizzi in catch-up mode. During the finals, the same dive helped set the Colorado State freshman apart.
In a field loaded with NCAA Championship experience, Gizzi placed third on the 3-meter springboard with a personal-best score of 322.20 on the opening day of the Air Force Diving Invitational. In the finals, she squared off with three divers from Texas A&M and two each from Utah and BYU. Aimee Wilson of Texas A&M won with a tally of 352.00, followed by Kennedy Cribbs of BYU at 327.30; both are seniors.
“This is what she needs, and she’s going to see their tucks,” CSU head diving coach Chris Bergere said. “When I give her corrections, she’s going to see it in her head, how their tucks are tight. That will ring with her. When she gets back to train, she’ll improve her positon and that will raise her scores more.”
Gizzi, whose score ranks third in CSU history – a spot her previous PR of 311.93 had already claimed – was the last qualifier for the final, ranking eighth in the preliminaries. She was off on her second dive of the day – a back 2.5 somersault tuck – scoring just 28 points and sliding her down the standings. She continually worked her way up, with her final dive score of 58.80 in the round getting her in the finals with a 272.20.
Once there, she looked like her normal self. Her first dive score was just a shade below what she had done in the morning, but her worst score of the prelims became her best score of the finals, a 64.40. She improved her scores on her next three dives, then hit the same score on her sixth, moving her up five places from the prelims.
When she missed the dive earlier, Bergere didn’t flinch, knowing Gizzi wouldn’t dwell on the miss, as she told him she just misread her speed when she saw the board. He also didn’t worry about a repeat in the finals, as she’s displayed a fierce, competitive nature all season.
“She just goes on and says, ‘oh, I’ll get the next one.’ She’s always excited to do the next dive, because it can be the next great dive,” Bergere said. “She gets excited about it and wants to get better.”
Just 12 days earlier, Gizzi broke the 1-meter school record at the Cadet Natatorium, posting a 335.05.
During the preliminary session, Jessica Albanna finished 20th (237.20), Katie Leonard 21st (230.75), Jozie Meitz 22nd (223.60) and Braeden Shaffer 31st (199.80).
“They each had one dive they missed, so we’re right there,” Bergere said. “They keep improving every meet, and I think our training is going well. I’m disappointed none of them made it back in the top 16, but they could have, and they’re training will get better because of that also.”
Friday’s schedule will feature the 1-meter board for the women. Competition begins at 10 a.m., followed immediately by the consolation finals. The women’s finals are slated for 6 p.m. Live scoring and a live stream are available.