The ‘Cook’N Bacon’ Diving Duo Secure First U.S. Medal Finish in Paris, Winning Silver in the Women’s Synchronized 3-Meter

PARIS – Kassidy Cook and Sarah Bacon have won the first medal for Team USA at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The diving duo known popularly as “Cook'N Bacon” took home silver in the women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard final Saturday at the Aquatics Center.

The diving pair earned a total of 314.64 for silver, while three-time world champions Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen of China scored 337.68 to take home the gold medal. Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen of Great Britan rounded out the podium with 302.28 for bronze.

Cook, 29, and Bacon, 27, won their first medal together as synchro partners after narrowly failing to qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, just three years ago.

“I feel like it's been a really long journey coming,” said Bacon when asked about missing out on Tokyo. “I was hoping to make the Olympic team in (2021 for Tokyo); that didn't happen. So being able to make the Olympic team this time, and then also being able to do it in synchro with my best friend here at this Olympic Games, and then also walking away with the silver medal means I have no words to describe any of this.”

The duo deciding to stick together through a period of injuries, mental struggles and more culminated to a silver-medal finish on the Olympic stage.

Cook also became the first-ever women’s diver to compete in non-consecutive Games, having last competed at the Games at the Olympic Games Rio 2016.

“I think that my journey is an uncommon one,” said Cook in response to her eight-year hiatus from the Games. “I'm the first female diver to attend non-consecutive Olympic Games. And in between those two, I've been through a lot personally. … So knowing that my grit and my determination ended up working out means everything in the world to me.”

Bacon added onto Cook’s response stating her overall mentality was attributed to her family and boyfriend, Nick Jaworski, a former kicker of Mississippi State University.

“It’s been hard mentally,” the Indianapolis native said. “I remember having a conversation with my boyfriend before I decided to go for this Olympics. I just asked him, ‘Is it all worth it? What happens if I come back and end up not making the Olympic team.’ … And he looked me in the eyes and said, ‘No, you’re going to go back. You’re going to dive, and we’re going to make your dream happen.’ So happy that he talked me through that and pushed me to come back.”

The Americans came into form right from the start of competition, scoring 49.80, 51.00, 71.010, 72,54 and 70.20, respectively. While Cook and Bacon were following closely behind Team China, their three straight 70s guaranteed them a podium finish. 

Cook reflected on how staying focused and getting a competitive 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials ahead of Paris were key to her and Bacon’s success.

“I was super relaxed the whole entire time,” Cook said. “I was saying that I think our Olympic trials set us up well for this competition, because our Olympic trials are a lot more stressful than it is here (because we aren’t fighting for just one spot). We’ve competed against these girls internationally before, so we knew that we were capable of being on the podium.”

Similar to Cook’s response after earning qualification to Paris at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Diving, Bacon knew that they had done it.

“I hit the water, and I trusted her and her diving,” Bacon said. “So once I hit the water, I was like we did it, we definitely are going to be on that awards podium. We just didn’t know what color. I knew after the last dive, it was going to be a medal of some sort.”

While Cook’s time competing at the Games ended the same day as competition began, she will be staying to support Bacon and the other members of the U.S. Olympic diving team. 

“I’m done (competing at the Olympics),” The Woodlands, Texas, native said. “I’m going to stick around and support my teammates. I get to watch her kick some butt in individual. We have a lot of other divers competing and hopefully I’ll be able to catch some other sports, as well. But I’m really just going to try and enjoy this amazing opportunity.”

Bacon will be competing in the women’s 3-meter springboard preliminaries on Aug. 7, having qualified individually at trials back in June.