Transition from mat to diving board easy for West’s Thomas

CEDAR RAPIDS - Like so many competitive divers, Iowa City West senior Jacintha Thomas excelled in gymnastics at a very early age. But when a back injury limited her ability to run and tumble, an older gymnastics teammate suggested she put her skills to use on the diving board.

'I went to the first practice, learned a few dives and I really enjoyed it,” said Thomas, the second seed in Friday's state diving meet at the Marshalltown YMCA. 'I stuck with it, and I excelled a lot faster than I thought I did.”

Thomas placed fourth at state as a sophomore and second last season. She gets one more chance to best three-time defending state champion Maggie James of Ames Friday at 5 p.m. West teammate Alex Aaberg - like Thomas a four-time state qualifier - is shooting for a top-four finish after placing sixth last season.

Metro powers Linn-Mar and Cedar Rapids Kennedy each qualified three divers. Four-time state qualifier Alyssa Deuso represents the Lions alongside Mikaela Lengwin and Georgia Sanderson, while the Cougars feature Carolyn Simon and a pair of first-time qualifiers in sophomore Jayden Lovell and senior Courtney Fisher.

Like Thomas, Fisher endured a back injury that necessitated a switch from gymnastics to diving.

'I had to quit last year because I broke my back,” Fisher said. 'My back still hurts sometimes when I dive, but it's not as much of an impact as it is on a spring floor or a hard mat like in gymnastics.”

Amara Taylor of Cedar Rapids Washington rounds out the area field.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com