On the eve of Oct. 22 just as all other sports were packing up, 20-year-old Texas diver Hailey Hernandez claimed the U.S.’ first diving medal at the Pan American Games Santiago 2023. The University of Texas athlete took home a bronze medal in the women’s 1-meter springboard final.
“I’m just super excited,” Hernandez said of her performance. “I’m just overjoyed.”
Using consistency, a key tool she has used throughout her career, Hernandez eclipsed veteran Mexican diver Arantza Chavez in round two, after Chavez slipped up on her second dive, a back 1 ½ somersault. Although rated as her easiest dive in terms of difficulty, it earned the lowest score of her five selected dives (40.25 points).
Meanwhile, Hernandez scored 54.60 on her second dive, which ended up rating as the second-best dive of round two.
Chavez attempted to make up for it in round 4, posting the highest-scored dive of the round. But by then, Hernandez’s consistent scoring earned her a total margin too high to reach.
At the meet’s end, Hernandez never scored lower than a 7.0 from any of the judges for all five dives.
“I just stay in the moment,” Hernandez said when asked about how she remains so consistent over five rounds of competition. “I take it one dive at a time and know that I can always do a little bit better, striving for that extra half of a point.”
Hernandez finished two spots higher than she did in the prelims earlier in the day, where she placed fifth.
Team USA also had another diver earn a finals spot, Joslyn Oakley. Competing in her first international competition, the North Carolina native and Texas A&M athlete finished in fifth place. After the meet Oakley described her first experience living in the athlete village.
“It’s been really special to meet other sports, and learn about other things I’ve never experienced before,” she said. “All the divers on the girls’ side get to share an apartment together. And that’s been super fun.”