During senior Matthew Yuan’s second dive at the IHSA State Diving Championship, he lost balance and almost fell off the diving board, leaving him in last place out of 48 divers.
“I guess it did make me feel a little more pressure, but it’s nothing that’s out of my control,” said Yuan. “I was telling myself, ‘I might have messed up, but everything from here is in my control. If I still do everything well, then I can still win.’”
Yuan’s initial strategy was to put his easiest and most consistent dives first which, along with his slip, contributed to his low placement early on in the competition, he said.
“Saving the harder [dives] for later meant that I would have better momentum,” Yuan said.
Yuan was confident that by his fifth dive, he could make the cut of the top 20 divers to avoid being eliminated, he said.
By the end of the first day, Yuan had moved up to third place.
On the second day, after Yuan’s final dive of the competition, he finished in first with 566.25 points, which was three points shy of the state championship record.
Yuan is quick to recognize areas where he needs improvement and has been a highly coachable diver, said Jessica Roby, boys and girls diving coach.
“He has always had natural talent,” said Roby. “It was evident from the first day he stepped onto the pool deck, super excited and passionate about the sport. When he talks about diving his eyes light up.”
During Yuan’s high school career, he was named an All-American diver his freshman, sophomore and senior years. This season, Yuan broke the sectional record with a score of 643.50, higher than the state record of 569.50. He also broke the CSL South Conference record, six pool records and set his own personal six-dive and 11-dive records.
“As to breaking my GBN records, it’s kind of a testament to how I have improved over the years,” said Yuan. “I’m setting a new record every single year I’m diving, which makes me feel happy that I’m getting better.”
Yuan plans to continue diving at The Ohio State University.
“It’s been a blessing,” said Roby. “I mean, it’s so fun to work with somebody who has that kind of talent and who is still humble and takes instruction. So it’s been a true blessing, we’re gonna miss him. We wish him well next year, [and] it’s been a really fun ride the last four years.”