MOULTRIE – Carson Tyler using the opportunity to compete in the Paris Olympics to make the diving world a little more conscious of the little diving club in southwest Georgia.
In his first trip to the Olympics, the 20-year-old Moss Farms diver finished fourth in the springboard final in Paris, making a name for himself and for his rural Georgia club.
And might not be finished.
Tyler begins a quest for a medal that just eluded him on 3-meter when he takes part in the 10-meter event – the one that might be his best – that begins on Friday.
The first Colquitt County and Moss Farms diver to qualify for the Olympics scored a 78.75 on his final dive on Thursday to solidify his hold on fourth place on springboard.
It was clear no one was going to challenge the two veteran Chinese divers, Siyi Xie, who took the gold medal with a score of 543.60, and Zongyuan Wang, who earned the silver.
Mexico’s Osmar Olivera Ibarra was third with a 500.40.
Tyler remained close and was in fifth place after the third-, fourth- and fifth-rounds before scoring a 78.75 on his final dive.
The Indiana University diver’s fourth-place finish might have raised some eyebrows, but he was consistent throughout the three days of competition.
He appeared especially focused after scoring a 48.0 on his fourth dive in the Tuesday prelims that left him in danger of not qualifying for the semifinals.
But he scored 73.50 on each of his final two prelim dives to finish 10th and easily make the semifinal.
Again, he turned in his two best scores on his final two dives in the semifinals to earn a place in the 12-diver final. The US team went into June’s Olympic Trials in Knoxville, Tennessee, knowing it was assured of two places in the springboard event in Paris.
Andrew Capobianco, an Indiana University graduate and veteran of the Tokyo Olympics, took first place in the event in the Trials.
Tyler got the second spot and, combined with his win in the platform competition, he became just the first U.S. diver since 2000 – and only the third ever – to qualify for the Olympics in both events.
Now Tyler will turn his attention to the platform. He will dive at 4 a.m. Eastern time on Friday in the preliminary round.
The semifinal and final rounds will be held on Saturday.
Tyler won NCAA Championships on both the platform and 3-meter board earlier this year and also was the NCAA platform champion as a sophomore in 2023.
It was a disappointing trip to Paris for Capobianco, who did not qualify for the springboard final.