Pakhalina Claims Second Regional Diving Title
3/10/2001 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
College Station, Tex. (March 10) - University of Houston freshman Yulia Pakhalina claimed her second regional springboard diving championship in as many days, winning the one-meter title on Saturday (March 10) in College Station to go along with the three-meter crown she won on Friday night. As expected, the former world champion and 2000 Olympic Gold medalist has qualified for the NCAA Championships in both events, which will be held next weekend in Long Island, NY.
On the one-meter Pakhalina posted an 11-dive total of 303.3 points, a full 25.85 points ahead of second place. She won Friday's three-meter 123 points. Pakhalina is a native of Penza, Russia, who won a gold medal in synchronized diving at the Sydney Olympics. She also is a former world champion on the three-meter springboard.
Fellow Cougar Veronica Smith, , a freshman from nearby Cy Fair, placed 21st in the one-meter competition with a 204.55.
Automatic NCAA Qulaifiers 1. 303.30 Yulia Pakhalina Houston 2. 277.45 Katerina Kordioukova Arkansas 3. 268.40 Marie-Eve Marleau Texas A&MFor a full scoring summary of Saturday's one-meter springboard results, link to the world-wide web here... http://sports.tamu.edu/sports/diving/zones/results/w1.html.
Other Houston scores...21. 204.55 Veronica Smith Houston