It takes approximately two seconds for Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis to go off the deep end. The time he spends airborne may be golden in the eyes of his fans, but hitting the water at 35 miles per hour off the ten-meter (33 feet) board still "hurts some," Louganis confided in an awshucks-it's-no-big-deal-to-do-this-50-to-80-times-a-day kind of way. Now 28, Louganis, of course, was the diving darling of the 1984 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles, where he picked up two gold medals while redefining the expression personal best. Other accolades: a silver medal in 1976 (when he was 16 years old), five world championships, 21 world titles in three-meter springboard diving and 26 world titles in ten-meter platform diving. Plus, he is the only diver to score a perfect ten in national and international competition. A singular accomplishment.
What's a typical workout day in the life of a diving superstar? Louganis begins with stretching exercises, followed by one hour and a half of video-taped diving at the Mission Bay Aquatic Training Center in Boca Raton, Florida (where our feature was photographed). Then comes weight lifting, then back and front somersaults to quicken his reflexes and, finally, an aerobics class.
Staying fit also means eating right. "I watch my intake of fat," says Louganis, who sometimes struggles to keep trim. "My major weakness is Häagen-Dazs ice cream, but I eat it only once a month."
The moment of truth comes, naturally, when Louganis has to slide his 160-pound, 5'9? frame into a form-fitting tank suit or brief—like those pictured on these pages. Since he is sponsored by Speedo America (as is the rest of the U.S. diving team), the brand of bathing suit he'll be wearing this summer at the Olympic games in Seoul, Korea, is no secret (we're betting he'll qualify at the trials in August). But from the variety of suits shown here, it's obvious that there's no shortage of styles to choose from; trim guys like Louganis will probably opt for swimskins (swim versions of cycling shorts), bikinis and volleyball-length trunks in hot colors and splashy prints. Those who are built more like John Candy, however, may feel more comfortable in a pair of looser-fitting boxer trunks—very trendy these days.
Even Louganis, of course, does not spend all his time in a swimsuit. "When I'm not vegging out in front of the TV, I'm working on my book, which is tentatively titled A Single Obsession. It's about what I've learned about competition and myself. Despite all those long hours of training, diving is only part of my life. There are other things out there."
But out on the board, ready to launch himself into space, Louganis doesn't let anything get in the way of his concentration. "I visualize a dive to music," he says. "I definitely don't see a dive as lines and angles, I look at it as a fluid performance. Janet Jackson's Control is inspirational: I can relate to it since I'm also taking control of my life."
Louganis, a bachelor, does have a special lady, though they haven't revealed any plans to marry. When he's not training or writing or vegging, he makes personal appearances in California, campaigning in schools against the use of drugs. Louganis' major public appearance, of course, should come in Seoul. Judging from his past performance and his form on these pages, the champion should be looking good. (Additional reportage on Louganis by Phil Cooper and Elizabeth Owens.)
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