Diving

China at the Summer Olympics

China at the Summer Olympics

The U.S. has been represented at the Olympics by many of the world's best men's divers throughout the history of the Summer Games. Since the resumption of the Games following World War II, American men have earned individual diving golds a total of 17 times.

The U.S. has a great tradition of winning Olympic medals in women's diving. At the Summer Games held from 1920-1976, American women failed to win at least one of the two diving golds just once-in 1960.

Women first participated in the Summer Olympics for the U.S. in 1900. There were few opportunities for them to do so, though, at the Games held before World War I. This started to change in 1920, and saw American women earn many of the medals awarded in diving, swimming, and track and field through 1936.

The U.S. was the most successful nation at the ten Summer Olympic Games held between 1896-1936, finishing at the top of the medal standings on seven occasions.

Diving took its place as an Olympic sport in 1904, and has been an integral part of each Summer Games to the present. In Olympic diving competitions prior to World War II, the events and rules changed a number of times, with divers competing at various heights and in long-discontinued events, until the resumption of the Games in 1948 brought essentially the standards we are accustomed to now.

Diving was first included in the Olympics in 1904 in St. Louis-for men only-and has been contested at each Games to the present.