Back in the Day: That time Olympian Greg Louganis competed at Bartlesville's Frontier Pool

Over the summer, Bartlesville's pools were in the news because they were closed amid drought and low water supply.

But did you know that Frontier Pool was in the news nationwide in 1987 when the U.S. Diving Championships were hosted in Bartlesville?

That year, Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis and more than 100 other elite divers came to town to compete in the week-long event for eight berths in the Pan American Games, six national titles and membership on the U.S. Diving Team, according to news reports at the time.

The old throwback sports show, Wide World of Sports, even came to town to air the final events live on national television.

The event was held at Frontier Pool − yes, the one at 312 SW Virginia Ave. − although today's pool is nothing like the one where Louganis took a dive.

Back then, the pool officially met Amateur Athletic Union standards and Olympic platform diving specifications. But in 2008, it was completely rebuilt as a recreational swimming pool and water park.

While in Bartlesville, Louganis was reunited with his first-grade teacher Betty Damrill, who taught him at San Diego's Lemon Grove Elementary School. In 1987, she was a teacher in Bartlesville.

Louganis told United Press International at the time that he considered himself an underdog. Never mind that he had won gold medals in the 1984 Summer Olympics in the platform and springboard events in Los Angeles.

But in April 1987, the 41-time national champion had been denied a national title at an indoor U.S. Diving Championship meet for the first time in 10 years.

He hoped to reclaim his glory in Bartlesville.

"I realized when I finished second in all three events that my work was cut out for me at the beginning of the summer," Louganis told UPI. "I hadn't been competitive in very many events and felt I needed to compete more so that each competition was less important. It was a good decision for me."

Other divers at the event voiced enthusiasm about the selection of Bartlesville as the host of the U.S. Diving Championships.

Michele Mitchell, 1984 Olympic silver medalist, told UPI she preferred outdoor diving venues.

"I like Bartlesville and I like the platform," she said. "I love diving outdoors because we train outdoors all year in Florida with the wind near the ocean. (The wind has) got to be pretty strong to affect a diver."

After Louganis' performance in Bartlesville, he went on to win gold medals in the platform and springboard diving events at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea.

Maybe he did so well because he took a little Bartian spirit to Seoul with him.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Olympic diver Greg Louganis competed at Bartlesville's Frontier Pool