Carson Tyler is doing in Paris what no American man has done since 2000 – and what no one else in the field is doing, period. The 20-year-old is competing individually on both the 3m springboard and the 10m platform at the Olympics. How – and why – does he do it?
American divers Pat McCormick and Greg Louganis were legendary for winning gold medals in both 3m springboard and 10m platform events in a single Olympics - twice, back-to-back: McCormick in 1952 and 1956, Louganis in 1984 and 1988. But the last American to try the double at the same Olympics was Mark Ruiz in 2000 Sydney. Until Carson Tyler made his Olympic debut here in Paris.
The 20-year-old rising senior at Indiana University at Bloomington has already placed fourth in the men’s 3m final in Paris.
“I feel good,” he said on Thursday, after the 3m final. “I wasn’t really sure what to expect.”
So far, Tyler said the Paris Olympic schedule felt a bit easier on his body compared to the US Olympic Trials format. “Going from springboard to platform is less hard than going from platform to springboard,” he said, specifically on his legs and lower body.
Looking ahead to the men’s 10m event, Tyler’s dive list will have an even higher degree of difficulty, which could put him in similar medal contention.
Or as his coach Drew Johansen put it, “his [10m] DD matches the rest of the world, so if he can have a similar performance, who knows what could happen?”
Interestingly, the Olympic double was not his coach’s idea. Quite the opposite.
“You know? He influenced me on that,” Johansen said. “I was a little reluctant. I thought both of his events could suffer – especially at the Olympic Trials because the way the trials unfold, it was every other day for each event…but he was determined to do both once we [the US] didn’t get our [Olympic] synchro spot in men’s tower. That was his other specialty.”
Once they agreed to go forward, coach Johansen said, “We had to be strategic in how much difficulty we used – in his springboard list especially because it could really take its toll on the body. If you noticed the other guys on [3m in Paris], they were all taped up. We used a little easier list, but enough to be competitive, and that helped him maintain his body.”
The double also required Tyler to spend about four hours of work in the pool, on most days. To anyone considering following in his footsteps, Tyler said, “be ready to do a lot of volume in training. It’s going to be hard – just anticipate that.”
But Tyler had already been familiar with contesting multiple events. During the US collegiate season, he competed in three events: the non-Olympic 1m, 3m, and 10m. In 2024, he won not only the Big-10 conference titles on both 3m and 10m, but he won the same titles the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) championships (and placed third on 1m).
“That’s what really prepares you,” Johansen said, “going through that hard collegiate season. A lot of athletes, after going through that college gauntlet, will choose one level to specialize on, like: I’m going to be a synchro springboard diver and springboard individual.”
But not Tyler. Not yet.
For one thing, Johansen pointed out in Paris, “We’ve been here competing 10 or 12 days now. So it’s a longer program [with fewer events than most collegiate and international competition] so that gives you more recovery time.”
Also, Tyller may have a tough time choosing one event.
“I like to practice springboard,” he said, “but I like to complete platform more.”
Asked whether he would do the Olympic double again, Tyler said, “There’s a chance! Possibly!”
“I’m hoping he stays in them all,” his coach said now. “I want him in as many events as we can get him in, because look at what a performer her is. In the end, that’s what it comes down to, performance.”