American divers have both youth and experience

15-year-olds Hayley Ishimatsu and Mary Beth Dunnichay made the team.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The synchro platform team of 15-year-olds Hayley Ishimatsu and Mary Beth Dunnichay will join a veteran U.S. Olympic diving team.

Determined to avoid another medal shutout, USA Diving mixed youth and experience Monday in selecting its Beijing squad.

“Even though some of them may be young, they all have a lot of experience,” said Bob Rydze, team leader and member of the selection committee.

Three-time Olympians Laura Wilkinson (10-meter platform) and Troy Dumais (3-meter) anchor the team. They, David Boudia (10-meter) and Christina Loukas (3-meter) already had won spots during last month’s trials.

Loukas has relatives in Campbell.

Joining the team is 10-meter platform diver Thomas Finchum and springboard divers Nancilea Foster and Chris Colwill.

The synchro diving tandems will feature Boudia and Finchum in men’s platform, Colwill and Jevon Tarantino in men’s springboard and Kelci Bryant and Ariel Rittenhouse in women’s springboard.

“We will not be shut out at these Olympic games,” Rydze said, referring to the 2004 Athens Olympics where the U.S. didn’t medal for the first time in 92 years.

The selection committee announced the team after five-day camp at the University of Tennessee.

Dumais said the team dynamics that likely hurt the divers in Athens shouldn’t be a problem in Beijing.

“Just like a family being around each other, you learn how to support one another,” he said.

After the Athens Games, USA Diving changed its selection format with the goal of building an Olympic team with divers who’ve shown the most consistency throughout the season.

Selectors considered a number of factors in picking the Beijing squad, including results from previous international competitions, degree of difficulty of the dives and performance at trials and camp.

Rydze said the selection panel decided unanimously on each athlete.

“I’m a firm believer in the selection process — I know some of the coaches probably aren’t,” he said. “I believe it makes the divers a lot more mentally tough.”