High Dive

Diving likely originated when the very first primitive dared to plunge into the water headfirst, and then resurfaced to let everyone know the water was fine. In the U.S., men's diving entered the Olympic Games in 1904. Men's diving was known then as "fancy diving." The women's team signed up for the Olympics in 1912 and U.S. teams dominated the sport for many years. Springboard diving is executed from a 16-foot by 20-inch wide plank. The flexible aluminum or steel planks parallel the water as close as 10 feet. The flexibility of the board allows divers to spring up and then down with acrobatic moves. A high dive, or platform dive, originates from a non-flexible plank measuring the same as the springboard but extending close to 33 feet above the water. The three-story height of the high dive allows divers the opportunity to display their aerobatic skills before plunging into the water at speeds of 40 mph or more!