Platform, Women

Pat McCormick completed the springboard/platform double, three days after winning her springboard gold. This had only been accomplished by a woman at the Olympics before in 1948 by Vicky Draves, but McCormick would return in 1956 and win both events again to complete a double/double. Although McCormick remains the only woman to have accomplished this at the Olympics, Greg Louganis also won the men’s diving double/double in 1984-88. The Americans swept the platform medals, with Paula Jean Myers winning silver and Juno Irwin the bronze. The three would again sweep the platform medals in 1956, although Myers and Irwin would reverse positions.

Myers would compete at the Olympics again in 1956 and 1960, winning four medals in four events, but never managing a gold. Irwin was a platform specialist who competed in 1948 at London, placing fifth, and would also dive at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics, improving to a silver in 1956, but missing the medals in 1960 when she placed fourth. Irwin won her 1952 bronze medal despite being 3½ months pregnant while competing in Helsinki.