Diving Concludes At FINA World Championships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The diving portion of the 2017 FINA World Championships concludes Thursday for Arkansas divers, as incoming freshmen Brooke Schultz and Maha Amer both missed the 3m springboard semifinals in Budapest, Hungary.

Schultz, representing the United States, finished in 25th place out of 40 divers with a five-dive score of 248.80. Amer, diving for her home country of Egypt, finished just behind her soon-to-be collegiate teammate with a score of 245.40 in 27th.

Senior-to-be Nicole Gillis represented her home country of South Africa at the World Championships, teaming up with University of Houston’s Micaela Bouter on the 3m synchro Monday. The tandem dove together last summer at the 2016 FINA Grand Prix in Italy, recording Gillis’ best-ever international finish with a seventh place effort. This summer, the duo finished 14th in Budapest but improved on last year’s total (238.02) by 11.64 points, scoring 249.66.

To kick-off the World Championships, Gillis finished 18th on the 1m springboard, scoring a five-dive score of 241.70.

“I am excited about the way Nicole Gillis did at this World Championship,” said Arkansas diving coach Dale Schultz. “Maha Amer and Brooke Schultz learned a lot at this meet that will help them going into their freshman year.”

Next up, Schultz will go on to compete at the 2017 World University Summer Games in Taipei, Taiwan, starting August 19. Arkansas distance swimmer Ayumi Macias, representing Mexico, also made the trip to Budapest to compete in the swimming portion of the FINA World Championships, which begins on Sunday and runs through July 30.

EVENT RESULTS

Friday, July 14
1m Springboard – Nicole Gillis – 18th (241.70)

Monday, July 17
3m Synchro – Nicole Gillis (Micaela Bouter) – 14th (249.66)

Thursday, July 20
3m Springboard – Brooke Schultz – 25th (248.80)
3m Springboard – Maha Amer – 27th (245.40)

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