After Sarah Bacon and Cassidy Cook completed their final dives at the U.S. Olympic Trials on Monday, the weight of accomplishment hit them as they embraced each other and tears of joy streamed down their cheeks.
They are heading to the Paris Olympics.
“That was the moment all the hard work paid off,” Cook said. “It doesn't always work out that way and you don't get the results you want, and that's happened to us before. But that moment when we hit the water we knew we were Olympians going to Paris.”
The pair was inseparable throughout the meet at the Allen Jones Aquatics Center on the University of Tennessee campus, never relinquishing the lead, and they won the women's synchronized 3-meter springboard event with a score of 629.82 points, more than 30 points ahead of runners-up Allison Gibson and Krista Palmer.
Just three years ago, Bacon was one spot away from qualifying for the 2020 Olympics and was so confident he'd make the team that he planned to retire after the Tokyo Olympics.
But even when he didn't qualify, Bacon remained determined – he couldn't imagine ending his diving career without winning the title of Olympian.
“The last Olympics was a little bittersweet,” Bacon said. “With COVID, I would say I was one of the front-runners to make the team, but honestly, it pushed me to dive. I wanted to make the Olympic team before COVID was over.”
Cook arrives in Paris next month with Olympic experience: She competed in the Rio Games in 2016, where she placed 13th in the three-meter springboard, and was also a member of the 2016 and 2020 World Cup teams.
“It's my first time back (to the Olympics) in eight years. It's going to be an amazing experience and I'm excited to share it with her,” Cook told Bacon, flashing a big smile.
For Bacon, this achievement came with many obstacles — during high school, she suffered multiple stress fractures in her back — and in 2019, she was awarded the Wendy Wyland Award for overcoming setbacks.
She has competed in four World Championships, winning silver medals in the 1-meter springboard in 2019 and 2022. She is one of the most decorated collegiate divers, won four NCAA championships with Minnesota and was the Big Ten Women's Athlete of the Year in 2021.
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Both dynamic divers have had illustrious careers and are hoping to add an Olympic medal to their already impressive list of accolades.
“We've been working hard for a long time,” Cook said. “To be able to finally say we're going to the Olympics together, it honestly still doesn't feel real. I'm really happy.”
