Mark Lenzi

Mark Edward Lenzi (born July 4, 1968 in Huntsville, Alabama) is a former American Olympic diver and diving coach. Lenzi is known for his Olympic gold medal in the 1992 Olympic Games, and his Olympic bronze medal in the 1996 Olympic Games on the 3m springboard.

Lenzi was also the first American diver to perform a 109C (forward 4.5 somersault tuck) in competition, and the first diver to score over 100 points in competition, performing a 307C (reverse 3.5 somersault tuck) off of the 3m springboard for over 102 points.

Diving career

Lenzi began his diving career at Indiana University in 1986. Lenzi, under the coaching of Hobie Billingsley, won two NCAA Championships in 1989 and 1990. After making the U.S. National team in 1989 at age 21, Lenzi graduated from Indiana University and began diving under coach Dick Kimball. In 1991 and 1992, Lenzi was recognized as the "Phillips 66 Diver of the Year." Lenzi represented the U.S. at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, where he won the Gold Medal by 31 points over Tan Liangde and Dimitri Sautin.

After briefly retiring from diving shortly after the Olympics, Lenzi returned to the sport in late 1995. Lenzi qualified for the 1996 Olympic team on the 3m springboard despite an injured shoulder, and won a bronze medal behind Xiong Ni and Yu Zhoucheng.

In total, Lenzi has won 18 international competitions at the 1m and 3m springboard level. He also became the first American diver to perform a 109C in competition, and the first diver to score over 100 points on a single dive in competition.

Personal life

Having undertaken many careers since retiring from diving, Lenzi and his wife Dorothy currently reside in Bloomington, IN, where Lenzi works as a diving coach at his alma mater Indiana University. He began coaching in 2005 and continues to coach for Indiana.

References

• sports-reference