A Dream Come True

Every four years U.S. Olympic hopefuls from across the nation gather for the opportunity to achieve the first step toward Olympic glory.\nThe U.S. Diving Olympic Trials, held this weekend in St. Peters, Mo., gave 12 past and present Hoosiers a chance to condense four years of hard work, training and dedication into four days of intense, nail-biting competition. \n"It's probably one of the most pressure filled competitions around," IU senior Marc Carlton said. "People train for years for this meet. Everyone comes here trying to dive the best they have in their entire life. It really looks you right in the face."\nOf the 83 divers competing at the Trials, 12 either have graduated from IU or currently dive for the Hoosier program.`\nRecent IU graduate Sara Hildebrand and senior Cassandra Cardinell won the women's synchronized 10-meter platform event with 634.29 points Thursday night, officially punching their tickets to compete in this summer's games in Athens, Greece.\n"Sara and Cassie were really steady tonight and they deserved to be on the Olympic team. There was a lot of pressure and they came through like champions," IU diving coach Jeff Huber said Friday. "This was the first event where we did not bust a dive and at this level, that's what it takes. I thought Cassie had the performance of her life in the prelims (Thursday) and (Friday), and Sara carried them through the finals. The two really worked as a team and came through tonight."\nHildebrand, a 2000 Olympian, will make her second consecutive trip to the Summer Olympics but said being joined by Cardinell and Huber in Athens will make this experience extra special.\n"It's a great feeling," Hildebrand said. "I have the experience of the first Olympics in 2000, and I have gained a lot more experience since then. It is more exciting this time because I will have my teammate, Cassie, and my coach there with me."\nCardinell and Hildebrand have had success in the past. In the summer of 2003 the duo claimed the bronze medal at the Pan-American Games and the two earned an additional pair of bronzes at the World University Games.\nTo claim the top spot, Cardinell and Hildebrand had to overcome the rival duo of former Olympian Laura Wilkinson and IU graduate Kimiko Hirai Soldati. While Cardinell and Hildebrand both owned national collegiate titles, the two still had never defeated Wilkinson-Soldati in a competition.\nCardinell and Hildebrand performed their dives to near perfection as Soldati struggled during her final dives, giving Cardinell and Hildebrand their Olympic chance.\n"It feels great but I don't think it has hit me yet," Cardinell said. "I am looking forward to the challenge of the Olympics and to see how I perform in Athens."\nWith IU's rich diving tradition, it was of little surprise to see the Hoosier program so well represented at the Trials.\nFreshmen Jade Summerlin and Heather Chapman also competed in the 10-meter synchronized event and finished fourth with 420.09 points. \nSophomore Brian Mariano and Carlton competed in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform event and finished in sixth place. Carlton also competed in the men's 10-meter platform event and placed 12th.\n-- Contact Sports editor Matt Glenesk at mglenesk@indiana.edu.