World Championships Continue for Blue Devils

KAZAN, Russia – Rising Duke senior Jaimee Gundry and former Blue Devil Abby Johnston both took part in individual diving events this week at the 2015 FINA World Aquatic Championships. Held every two years, the World Championships for Aquatics feature international competitions in swimming, diving, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.

Gundry represented her native country of South Africa in Wednesday's individual 10-meter platform preliminaries at the Aquatics Palace in Kazan. Her highest scoring dive came in the fourth round, when she earned 57.60 points. Gundry finished with a total award of 245.60 to place 34th in the field.

Gundry has previously represented South Africa on the international stage at the 2012 FINA Junior World Diving Championships, the 2013 FINA World Championships and the 2014 FINA Diving World Cup.

Johnston was in action Friday in the women's individual 3-meter springboard preliminaries. The 2013 Duke graduate competed despite suffering a foot injury in practice earlier in the week. She garnered a score of 267.6 points to come in 21st place and was just 14.85 points behind the 18th-place finisher.

A 2012 Olympic silver medalist in synchronized 3-meter diving, Johnston paired with fellow American Laura Ryan last week in Kazan to place ninth in the same event. Johnston is also slated to represent the U.S. in the mixed gender synchronized 3-meter competition Sunday, Aug. 2.

Two other Blue Devils have events on this weekend's schedule in Kazan, including former swimmer and current volunteer assistant coach Ashley Twichell in the women's open water 25K Saturday and rising sophomore Isabella Paez in the women's 100-meter butterfly Sunday. Duke head diving coach Nunzio Esposto is serving as a member of the USA Diving staff for the duration of the meet.

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