Former Gophers diver Sarah Bacon comes up just 8 points shy of advancing in 3-meter

Bacon came in 19th while only the top 18 advance in the 3-meter individual semifinals.

Sarah Bacon (USA) in the women's 3m springboard diving preliminaries during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Aquatics Centre in Paris on Aug. 7, 2024. / Grace Hollars / USA TODAY Sports

Former Gophers diver Sarah Bacon came up just eight points shy of advancing in the three-meter springboard as her Olympic run came to an end in Wednesday's preliminaries in Paris.

Bacon's score of 264.40 was just eight points back from the 18th spot, and only the top 18 advance to the semifinals. Bacon, needing 8s from all judges on her final dive to advance, scored a 52.4 on her final dive to finish in 19th, just shy of advancing. Fellow American Alison Gibson also didn't advance.

However, it was still a successful first Olympic run for Bacon, who along with her partner Kassidy Cook were the first Americans to medal in these Olympics in Paris. Bacon and Cook scored a 314.64 in the three-meter synchronized springboard final to take home the first silver medal for Team USA. 

Bacon attended the U from 2016-22 and was a five-time NCAA champion and a four-time Big Ten champion during her standout collegiate career. She’s the only woman in Minnesota history to have won three or more NCAA titles in any sport.