In a field that included the Olympic champion in the event, China’s Jia Hu, Kinzbach secured his spot in the finals with an impressive semi-finals performance, averaging 76.28 points per dive. Kinzbach wowed the crowd on his third dive, a near-perfect back 3 ½ somersault tuck that earned him 89.1 points. Kinzbach held second place after his fifth dive, but was bumped to third when Russia’s Oleg Vikulov garnered 83.6 points for his back 2 ½ somersault, 2 ½ twists pike.

Prelims Report:

Three U.S. divers competed in preliminaries earlier today. Auburn University sophomore Daniel Mazzaferro (Cheshire, Conn.) posted 354.5 points for 23rd place. Florida State’s Dan Frebel (Fort Wayne, Ind.) posted a preliminary round score of 347.25 for 25th. University of Miami recruit J.J. Kinzbach (Montgomery, Tx.) was the only American to advance with a score of 409.65, good for 10th place.

Kinzbach posted three 70-plus-point dives in the prelims to gain the semi-final berth. The four-time Texas high school state champion ranked 14th at the halfway point, but completed his program with two solid dives. Kinzbach raked in 70.4 points for his armstand back double somersault 1 ½ twist in the free position, and closed with a 79.9-point performance of a back 2 ½ somersault 1 ½ twist pike.