University of Georgia Athletics
Colwill Wins Second Diving Title At NCAAs
March 24, 2006 | Swimming & Diving
March 24, 2006
Complete Results
ATLANTA, Ga. ---- Georgia diver Chris Colwill made history again on Friday at the NCAA Championships being held at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center.
Colwill claimed the 3-meter springboard title, becoming Georgia's first-ever multiple national champion. In Thursday's competition, the junior from Brandon, Fla., won on 1-meter to put his name in the school record book as Georgia's first diving champion.
With Colwill leading the way, the Bulldogs stand 10th in the team race with 120 points. Arizona is leading with 336.5 points and Auburn is second with 331.5.
Colwill won the 3-meter crown with a school-record 460.95 points. He edged Joona Puhakka of Arizona State (who won both springboards a year ago at the NCAAs) by 47.9 points. Colwill had scores of 83.3 and 85.75 on his second and third dives to take control of the competition.
"Two or three dives into it, I knew he was on," Georgia diving coach Dan Laak said. "I'm so excited for him. He's moving in the right direction. Every time he goes out there, he gets better. He did a fantastic job tonight."
Entering the 2006 NCAAs, the Bulldogs' only previous national champions were Reid Patterson in the 100-yard freestyle in 1953, Matt Buck in the 200-yard breaststroke in 1996, Kris Babylon in the 200-yard individual medley in 1997 and Robert Margalis in the 400-yard individual medley in 2003.
"This one feels even better (than the 1-meter title)," Colwill said. "I knew the competition was going to be so tough and I didn't think I would dive that well. I just focused on myself and took each dive one by one."
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