IU divers win at National Championships

With an NCAA Championship and an Olympic roster spot already scratched off her list, Christina Loukas was still pining for a USA Diving National Championship.

Now, the IU graduate can tick that box, too.

Loukas, who won the Olympic trials in 2008 and was named 2009 NCAA Diver of the Year, won two events at the 2010 USA Diving Winter National Championships in Columbus, Ohio Sunday.

Loukas teamed up with fellow Olympian Kelci Bryant to win the three-meter synchronized springboard event and also placed first in the three-meter springboard.

In a non-Olympic year, Loukas’ win means qualification for the FINA World Cup in Changzhou, China, the premier diving event this year.

And she won’t be the only IU diver there.

Senior Amy Korthauer placed second in the platform competition, securing a trip to China.

“I’m really proud of her for diving so well under pressure,” Loukas said. “To see Amy get second was awesome, because now we get to go to the World Cup together.”

Korthauer came to IU as a walk-on for the diving team and now will be competing at an international level for the first time.

“I think other people were kind of surprised. Like ‘Who is this kid and where did she come from?’” IU diving coach Jeff Huber said. “It’s really rewarding to take a kid from ground zero all the way to being one of the top divers in the world.”

Loukas wasn’t guaranteed a win, though, as she said she believes there were potentially eight other divers who could have ousted her for the top spot.

“Going into the meet I knew I had to get top two to make the team so I was really nervous,” she said. “I have gotten second so many times and I have been so close to winning, that to actually win the title is really exciting.”

Loukas clinched the championship on her final dive. She trailed the leader by 2.35 points going into the last round but scored 78 points to take the lead.

Huber is not sure if Loukas ever got quite the break she wanted or needed after the 2008 Olympics, so another stretch of competitions will take determination and focus.

“I think she struggled a little bit in her training but you just get back on track,” Huber said. “I am proud of not only how she dove but how she continues to represent herself and Indiana University.”