Thursday, October 07, 1999
Ruehl returns to the tower
Olympic diver has lost year to arm injury
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Olympic diver Becky Ruehl, recovering from her second major injury in 21/2 years, has begun practicing again on the 10-meter platform.
Though her goals remain lofty, she's not so much readying for another Olympic run right now as enjoying the altitude.
“It's nice to get back up there,” she said. “I really want to start planning for (competitions) and say, "This is what I want to do in this amount of time,' but I really can't. I'm just enjoying it.”
Regarded as America's pre-eminent platform diver after placing fourth in the 1996 Olympics, Ruehl, 21, returns to tower diving nearly a year after her last dives from that height. Her right arm was injured in a dive in November. She suffered nerve damage that specialists needed months to diagnose and for which they couldn't ensure recovery.
That came after 18 months of rehab for shoulder surgery. Ruehl, a four-time national champion from Lakeside Park, Ky., said she will savor her tower dives even if they never lead to competition.
“(Last) Wednesday was the first time I went to Lexington (for tower practice) in forever,” she said. “It was so nice to take the van down, eat afterward, just be with everyone again.”
Ruehl spent six months out of the water as she tried to regain strength in her triceps muscle, which was controlled by the damaged nerve. She began 1- and 3-meter springboard dives in July, then gradually moved up to 5- and 7-meter diving.
Two weeks ago, with clear ance from her therapist, Jo Terry, Ruehl returned to the tower with two inward 11/2 dives. Last week she added an armstand somersault.
“Those are the easiest ones to start with, but it felt great to do them,” she said. “It was just like it used to be.”
This victory is mostly a moral one.
“This is nice,” Cincinnati Stingrays coach Charlie Casuto said, “but it would be a lot nicer if she could do a whole list.”
A diver's list is the set of nine dives used in competition. Ruehl must painstakingly re-create the list she mastered in 1996. With the clock ticking, there may not be time for Casuto to teach her new ones.
Ruehl, a fifth-year senior at the University of Cincinnati, hopes to compete in 3-meter collegiate events in November or December. On platform, she hopes to be ready for the Spring Nationals April 18-23 in Minneapolis.
Ruehl is an automatic qualifier for the 2000 Olympic Trials June 20-25 in Seattle. She can't help but harbor hopes of another Olympic trip.
“I think about it,” she said. “I just have no idea (if it's realistic). It's still a goal, but more like a big question mark. I'll just give this my best shot and see what happens.”
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