Christina Loukas felt the gamut of sports emotion this week. In a matter of days, she fell just short of making the Olympic team, then qualified in another event.
The Riverwoods native will represent the U.S. in the 3m springboard. She took second at the U.S. Olympic Diving Trials on Sunday, earning her a spot on the Olympic team. This happened two days after she and synchronized diving partner Kassidy Cook narrowly missed winning their event on Thursday.
"Oh my gosh that was the longest week of my life," said a relieved Loukas to the Houston Chronicle, who was ninth on 3-meter in Beijing. "This time around I kind of know what to expect and I have more confidence in my diving. I know I can compete with the top women on 3-meter."
Though she now trains in Texas, Loukas has strong ties to Chicago. Her family owns the Cubby Bear, the popular bar across Clark and Addison from Wrigley Field. Loukas has been on the national team since 2005, and she finished fourth in the world championships in 2011.
