Goodwill Games

03/16/2001

Teams Set for Diving Showdown at the 2001 Goodwill Games
Officials Announce $137,000(USD) Prize Purse

The top diving teams in the world from Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine and the United States will compete for a prize purse of $137,000 (USD) at this year's Goodwill Games competition in Brisbane, Australia, officials announced today. The three-day competition is slated for September 7 - 9, and will be broadcast in the United States on Turner Network Television (TNT). The Chandler Aquatic Center, in the heart of Brisbane, will be the stage for this exciting competition.

Laura Wilkerson Laura Wilkinson, 1998 Goodwill Games champion and 2000 Olympic gold medalist in platform diving, is one of the divers confirmed to represent the United States. Other elite divers confirmed to participate in the diving competition are Olympic silver medalist, Fernando Platas (Mexico), Olympic 3m springboard bronze medalist, Dorte Linder (Germany), Anna Lindberg (Sweden) and Alexandre Despatie (Canada).

"I am thrilled to be participating in this year's Goodwill Games," said Laura Wilkinson. " The 2001 Goodwill Games will be my first international competition since the Olympics, which will make the experience even more exciting. Capturing first place in the 1998 Goodwill Games was a huge milestone in my career so I am really looking forward to competing this year. "

The competition will consist of ten events: 1m Springboard (m/w), 3m Springboard (m/w), 10m Platform (m/w), 3m Synchronized (m/w) and the 10m Synchronized (m/w). Between eight and 12 divers will each participate in the 1m, 3m and 10m events, and six pairs will take part in the 3m and 10m synchronized events. The prize purse will be divided amongst the 12 places in the men's and women's individual events and the six places in the men's and women's synchronized events, with first-place victors receiving the largest sum and the remainder of the prize purse being divided according to placement.

"Diving has been an integral part of the Goodwill Games since 1986 and we are proud of our history with the sport," said Michael Plant, president of Goodwill Games, Inc. "We have showcased many of the world's greatest divers, from seasoned veterans to those participating in a multi-sport competition for the first time, and we look forward to watching the top divers compete again this year."

The 2001 Goodwill Games, hosted by Brisbane, Australia, will take place August 29 - September 9, and will feature 14 sports during 12 days of competition. Along with diving, the Goodwill Games will host an elite field of competitors in athletics, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, cycling (track), figure skating, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, surf lifesaving, swimming, trampoline, triathlon and weightlifting.

In addition to the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia, plans have begun for the 2005 Winter Goodwill Games in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. TNT is the host network for both events. Nine Network Australia will broadcast the 2001 Goodwill Games locally. Goodwill Games, Inc. is a division of Turner Sports, the sports programming and production unit of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

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