Williams Dominates Diving, Wins 10-Meter Championship

Wendy Lian Williams’ last visit to the U.S. Olympic Festival was not pleasant. This one should help erase the memories.

Williams, the bronze medalist at the 1988 Olympics, dominated the competition Sunday on the last day of the Festival in winning the 10-meter platform championship. In her only other festival appearance, in 1985, she had finished seventh.

“It was disastrous,” said Williams of Laguna Beach. “That was so long ago. I feel like a different person now. In those days I felt so young and naive and scared up there.”

Although she didn’t do as well on her final dive as she had wanted, the 23-year-old piled up 443.16 points to beat Mary Ellen Clark of Newton Square, Pa., by nearly 50 points.