Indiana University’s Michael Hixon made a big splash in his Olympic debut alongside partner Sam Dorman Wednesday.
The two won a silver medal for the U.S. in the men’s synchronized 3-meter springboard final with a score of 450.21.
Great Britian's score of 454.32 gave them a Gold medal while China won a bronze with a score of 443.70.
Dorman and Hixon have only been working together for a few months, and while both have competed around the world, neither had finished in the top 15 in their trials appearance four years ago. That all changed this year.
Hixon began diving at the age of 7, with his mother Mandy, the diving coach at the University of Massachusetts, as his coach. She remained his coach through high school before Hixon left for the University of Texas and later transferred to Indiana University.
Hixon, 22, joined fellow Indiana divers David Boudia and Steele Johnson as an Olympic medalist. Boudia and Johnson turned in a strong performance Monday, securing a silver medal in the men’s synchronized 10m platform event.
