Former Diver Aaron Fleshner Finals at World Championships
7/16/2011 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
July 16, 2011
SHANGHAI, China - Crimson Tide All-American Aaron Fleshner advanced to the finals of the 1-meter competition at the 14th FINA World Championships Saturday.
The Spring, Texas, native finished ninth in the preliminary round of the 1-meter. Fellow American Chris Colwill is in fifth with a 387.80 while Shixin Li of China is in first with 438.00.
Fleshner, whose degree of difficulty was the highest of any competitor in the prelims, was solid in his world debut, finishing with 373.20 points. He was in second place after the third round, but slipped in the standings when he missed his difficult back 2 ½ pike in the fourth round. Only one other diver - Russia's Igor Koriakin, who finished 28th - attempted the dive. Finals of the 1-meter board are Monday.
"Overall, I was pleased with my performance," Fleshner said. "Some of my dives were a little off and I could do a couple of them better, but I'm pleased. I was fighting some nerves a little early on, but it was pretty easy to get up and go."
A four-year All-American from 2007-10, as well as a multiple Southeastern Conference Champion and the 2009 SEC Diver of the Year, Fleshner was seventh off the 3-meter board at the 2008 USA Olympic Trials and finished as high as third at the NCAA Championships. He is currently living and training in Tuscaloosa while completing his engineering degree.
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