USA Olympic Trials storylines to watch: Men’s 10M
Tier 1: Joshua Hedberg. I’m ready to plant my flag that Josh is the diver to beat. He has it all. His list is 407C, 6245D, 207C, 307C, 109C, 5255B. At the most recent USA diving national meet he beat 2nd place by 53.10 points. There was some excitement over Joshua at the last Trials meet with him being so young and the young talent has developed into everything we could have hoped for. He’s steady, stoic, unshakeable. Coach Sean McCarthy has been doing a phenomenal job with this young man and I believe Joshua is ready to make his Olympic debut.
Brandon Loschiavo. Brando has a list upgrade over Joshua and it’s 207B as opposed to tuck. The list Brando has is consistent with the best divers in the world. To me, Brando has the highest floor. Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’s still so solid that he may be on his way to another Olympics. When he’s on, it’s showtime. He has the capability of a very flat rip that has led him to countless international meets with Team USA. For his story check out episode 69 of The Diving Pod and be sure to subscribe to his podcast The Performance Playbook.
Carson Tyler. I’m sure some are tired of us beating the Carson Tyler drum. Feel free to skip this song because I’m adding a double bass pedal and were going all gas no breaks! In this contest to me, Carson has the highest ceiling. When we talk about a rip this is the guy we compare it to. Was it a “Carson rip” or not? If Carson hits It’s a 10. He’s the reigning 2-time NCAA platform champion. He has the dives to compete with the best (same list as Hedberg). As a fan of diving, Carson is my favorite to watch. With the potential of any dive being a 10, I’m constantly on the edge of my seat. If Carson is a bit off it may not be a top 2 finish but he’s the one that draws my eyes more than anyone with how he’s able to enter the water. He is more consistent than the typical roller coaster ride comparison but if I were to go there… Get your hands up, lose your voice, but get out of your seat because this is going to be fun. Hear his story on episode 62.
Tier 2: Maxwell Flory. Max actually has the biggest list in the meet. He does 207B and for twister he goes big with 5156B. It’s crazy. Max has represented team USA on many international meets. He has everything he needs to be in the mix just needs to remain consistent. He’s become a go-to guy to talk diving and I’ll be rooting for a big event for him. Hear his story on episode 114.
Zachary Cooper. COOOOOOOOPERRR. Zach is a great diver. I’m always excited when he is in the meet. It’s been a little while since I have seen him dive but he has all the tools. I will say in the past he has struggled a little with his Back twister 5255B at the end of meets and currently he has 5253B entered. I’m keen to see that last round because Coop very well should be in the mix for a top finish. I’d love to see him cap the list off with a rip!
Jordan Rzepka. Jordan has the first ever 100 point dive I have ever seen in person. That 5156B at USA diving 2022 Winter nationals was wild. The whole building erupted! When Jordan is firing on all cylinders he’s a tier 1 diver. He’s for sure one of these that could make me look silly with where he is at in the list. Similar to Carson my eyes are really drawn to Jordan when he dives. We will see where it shakes out. Hear his story on episode 51.
Maxwell Weinrich. Max has been on this steady upward trend for years. My knock on him has been that he just doesn’t quite have the DD to compete… but that’s changing. His list is still a little smaller than the top dogs with 407C, 616C, 107B, 305C, 207C, 5253B. What Max can do better than most is the all-powerful rip. When he hits, we question if it was Max or Carson. It’s that good. I haven’t ever seen a 616C in person so that will be fun. Max is a guy that I’m really excited for the next cycle. In 2028 he will be a name in the foreground. Hear his story on episode 113 .
Tyler Wills. This young man incredibly impressive. He has all the talent plus an incredible rip. He’s gaining consistency and that’s the name of the game for Tyler. He does have a big league list with 6245D, 107B, 407C, 207C, 5255B, and finishes with 307C. Where Jordan might rise up leaderboards, Tyler absolutely can too. Similar to Max Weinrich I expect Tyler to be even more ready in 2028.
Other Notables: Clayton Chaplin. My boy Clay can shred dives. Backs and Reverses are his sweet spot and they are a thing of beauty. He also has a 626C that is incredible. A very smart dive for him to have where he gets to show off his strengths. Hear his story on episode 103.
Looking ahead to the Olympics I think making the finals would be a great accomplishment. I do not think we have the firepower to compete with the top in the world. I would love if this got thrown right in my face and I was proven wrong. China, Australia, Great Britain, Mexico, Japan all have excellent divers where it would take something truly special to make a run at a podium. If any of our guys go 6/6 it’ll be an epic triumph and that’s what it will take.
Written and submitted by Aaron Rooney