While most Minnesotans were still asleep on Saturday morning, former Gophers diver Sarah Bacon was busy helping Team USA win its first medal of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

She teamed up with diving partner Kassidy Cook to take the silver medal in the 3-meter synchronized springboard competition. They finished with 314.64 points, trailing Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen of China, who finished with 337.68 points to take home the gold medal.

This milestone moment has been a long time coming for Bacon.

After winning five NCAA titles with the Gophers, Bacon failed to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She moved to Texas with her boyfriend in the immediate aftermath and thought about retiring from the sport for good. Eventually, Bacon got the itch to chase her dream once again, returning to Minnesota to train with Cook under the watchful eye of Gophers diving coach Wenbo Chen.

This isn’t the end for Bacon at the Olympics. She will compete in the 3-meter individual springboard on August 7 at 8 a.m. CT.

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