Olympics upset: USA diver David Boudia wins gold medal in 10-meter platform

American diver David Boudia won an Olympic gold medal in the 10-meter platform Saturday (Aug. 11), one day after a disastrous performance nearly cut him from the semifinals.

Saturday's competition was the USA diving's first gold since Laura Wilkinson's win in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The last time an American man won the event was 1988 in Seoul, when Greg Louganis -- who witnessed Boudia's victory firsthand in the London Aquatics Centre -- took gold in another unforgettable comeback.

After just squeaking into the 18th and final semifinal spot Friday, Bodia nailed his dives Saturday. Only 0.15 points separated Boudia, Chinese powerhouse Qiu Bo and hometown hero Tom Daley after five dives.

All divers hit their marks in the final round, but Bodia earned the most points. Qiu took silver, and Daley paid tribute to his late father, who died last year from cancer, with his bronze medal for Great Britain.