Synchronized Diving

It was a glorious surprise, igniting a party complete with song and dance: The Greeks won their first gold medal of their hometown Olympics with an unexpected victory Monday night in synchronized diving. "I still can't believe it," gold medalist Nikolaos Siranidis said. "It feels like a fairy tale. It's hard for me to speak." Fairy tale? No. Miracle? Not quite.

After Kelci Bryant and Abby Johnston folded every article of clothing in their rooms, the synchronized diving tandem headed to the bus Sunday morning. En route, Johnston turned to Bryant with a muted reminder: Don't forget to bring the podium outfit. You know ... just in case. And after breakfast and some episodes of "Burn Notice" and "Pretty Little Liars," bobbing along to the music in her headphones, contemplating a meet that would be her last, Bryant was in a happy place and offered her own reminder to Johnston: No matter what, we've done amazing things.

In sports, being in sync is good. Being synchronized, that's not so good. The word summons images of waterproof makeup and costumes and odd underwater maneuvers. Synchronized swimming has ruined it for synchronized anything else. That's the PR problem faced by synchronized diving, a new event at most national and international diving competitions (with the notable exclusion of the Olympics). "It's totally different.

It was a glorious surprise, igniting a party complete with song and dance: The Greeks won their first gold medal of their hometown Olympics with an unexpected victory Monday night in synchronized diving. "I still can't believe it," gold medalist Nikolaos Siranidis said. "It feels like a fairy tale. It's hard for me to speak." Fairy tale? No. Miracle? Not quite.

Here, in capsule form, are the events that will be highlighted today in Athens: Women's 3-meter springboard: Sydney gold medalists Yulia Pakhalina and Vera Ilyina of Russia return to defend their title. Guo Jingjing of China, who won silver at Sydney, returns with a new partner, Wu Minxia. Also worth watching are Irina Lashko and Chantelle Newbery of Australia. Lashko won silver on the 3-meter springboard in 1992 and 1996 while representing her native Russia.

Irvine's Brian Earley and teammate Kevin McMahon of Fremont, Neb., won the men's three-meter springboard synchronized diving Saturday at the National Diving Championships at the Mabee Memorial Aquatic Center in Midland, Tex. Earley and McMahon finished with 329.43 points, nearly 30 points better than the next closest competitors. Newport Beach's Sandy Zubrin finished seventh in the women's platform finals, compiling 398.10 points. Patty Armstrong from The Woodlands, Tex., won with 451.74

After Kelci Bryant and Abby Johnston folded every article of clothing in their rooms, the synchronized diving tandem headed to the bus Sunday morning. En route, Johnston turned to Bryant with a muted reminder: Don't forget to bring the podium outfit. You know ... just in case. And after breakfast and some episodes of "Burn Notice" and "Pretty Little Liars," bobbing along to the music in her headphones, contemplating a meet that would be her last, Bryant was in a happy place and offered her own reminder to Johnston: No matter what, we've done amazing things.

Erica Sorgi of Mission Viejo finished fourth in the women's 10-meter platform diving event Sunday at the U.S. Summer National Diving Championships in The Woodlands, Texas. Sorgi, the defending champion, missed the bronze medal by 3.42 points. Laura Wilkinson of The Woodlands won the women's event and Mark Ruiz of Orlando, Fla., won the men's 10-meter platform event.

Erica Sorgi of Capistrano Valley High won her fourth national championship in the women's three-meter springboard final Saturday at the U.S. Spring National Diving Championships in Orlando, Fla. Sorgi, who finished with 530.52 points, was more than 40 points better than second-place Jenny Lingamfelter of Southern Methodist. Sorgi, representing the Mission Viejo Nadadores, has qualified for a berth for the Pan Am and World University Games.

Tiger Woods injured the rotator cuff of his right shoulder and was forced to withdraw from the U.S. Intercollegiate Men's Golf Tournament on Saturday at Stanford. Woods shot a two-over 73 in Friday's first round, then hurt his rotator cuff on his tee shot on the first hole Saturday. He played until the pain forced him to stop after 11 holes. According to a press release from Stanford, his status for the Pac-10 tournament May 1-3 is uncertain and rest has been prescribed.

Here, in capsule form, are the events that will be highlighted today in Athens: Women's 3-meter springboard: Sydney gold medalists Yulia Pakhalina and Vera Ilyina of Russia return to defend their title. Guo Jingjing of China, who won silver at Sydney, returns with a new partner, Wu Minxia. Also worth watching are Irina Lashko and Chantelle Newbery of Australia. Lashko won silver on the 3-meter springboard in 1992 and 1996 while representing her native Russia.

In sports, being in sync is good. Being synchronized, that's not so good. The word summons images of waterproof makeup and costumes and odd underwater maneuvers. Synchronized swimming has ruined it for synchronized anything else. That's the PR problem faced by synchronized diving, a new event at most national and international diving competitions (with the notable exclusion of the Olympics). "It's totally different.

Irvine's Brian Earley and teammate Kevin McMahon of Fremont, Neb., won the men's three-meter springboard synchronized diving Saturday at the National Diving Championships at the Mabee Memorial Aquatic Center in Midland, Tex. Earley and McMahon finished with 329.43 points, nearly 30 points better than the next closest competitors. Newport Beach's Sandy Zubrin finished seventh in the women's platform finals, compiling 398.10 points. Patty Armstrong from The Woodlands, Tex., won with 451.74

* KOSUKE KITAJIMA, Japan, swimming -- Kitajima, 24, won two gold medals at the 2004 Olympics, in the 100- and 200-meter breaststrokes, and is the world leader this year in the 200. His controversial style has prompted protests, but he has never been disqualified from a major meet. * OUSSAMA MELLOULI, Tunisia, swimming -- Mellouli, 23, is ranked first in the world in men's 800 meters and fifth in the 400 individual medley. He swam four years for USC.

You've heard of Circus of the Stars. Now get ready for Pool of High Diving Stars. Fox has ordered a two-hour special, "Stars in Danger: High Diving" which will feature celebrities plunging into the sport of high diving. The project is based on an original German celebrity high diving format, and will air in winter 2013. The special will be produced by Bunim/Murray Productions, the producers of "The Real World. " Eight celebrities from music, TV, film and pop culture arenas will complete a crash course in diving techniques, trained and coached by some of the country's most accomplished divers before competing in a series of Olympic-style dives, such as solo high diving and synchronized diving, from heights of 3, 5, 7½ and 10 meters.