U.S. diving trials |

FEDERAL WAY — Drama and joy took center stage Sunday as the weeklong U.S. Olympic diving trials concluded in front of 2,267 at the King County Aquatic Center.

Drama: In men's 3-meter springboard competition, what appeared to be a two-man contest for the second of two berths on the U.S. team turned into a tense three-way battle eventually won by Olympic veterans Christopher Colwill and Troy Dumais.

Joy: That was evident on the face of 25-year-old Brittany Viola, daughter of former major-league pitcher Frank Viola, who made her first Olympic squad in three tries by winning the women's 10-meter platform competition.

"It's unreal," a beaming Viola said afterward.

Viola and runner-up Katherine Bell were the last of 11 divers — six women and five men — who earned spots on the U.S. team at the trials.

Few sessions were more dramatic than the final round of the men's 3-meter, which began with the top three divers separated by just 2.4 points.

Kristian Ipsen, a 19-year-old freshman from Stanford, had already clinched a spot by winning Friday's 3-meter synchro competition with Dumais. On Sunday he began the day with a 39.6-point lead on Dumais. Colwill was another 3.05 points behind in third.

Colwill passed Dumais for second in the third round of the six-round event. Then Ipsen, 33.75 points ahead of Colwill after four rounds, chunked his fifth dive, a reverse 3 ½ somersault tuck, scoring six 4.5s and a 5.0.

"I felt like I just got a little bit quick off the board," Ipsen said.

"It's always a dive I've struggled with, but it's been going much, much better. I thought I had things kind of figured out, but still when I get into high-pressure situations sometimes I go away from the technique on that dive."

All three divers delivered terrific final dives. Colwill's reverse 3 ½ somersault tuck earned five 9.5 scores from seven judges, good for a 99.75, the day's best score.

Dumais, 32, drilled a forward 2 ½ somersault with two twists pike, his favorite dive, and scored 91.8. Ordinarily, that's the second dive in his routine.

"I knew this was going to be a nail-biter," he said. "I put it last knowing I was going to come down to the last dive. I'd rather put pressure on a dive that I knew I was capable of doing."

Ipsen also recorded a 91.8 on his final dive, not enough to overtake Colwill (1,457.45 points) and four-time Olympian Dumais (1,448.35) with 1,447.10. Dumais (sixth place) and Colwill (12th place) competed in 3-meter springboard in the 2008 Olympic Games.

"I'm glad that ended strong," Ipsen said. "I'm really trying to take it as a learning experience."

Viola (1,081.5 points) and Bell (1,024.4) each misfired on their fifth dives but were not seriously challenged for the top two spots.

Shorecrest grad Katrina Young placed 12th (825.1).