What Nick McCrory does from a 10-meter diving platform in just a couple seconds takes years of training.

A 17-year old who just finished his last day at East Chapel Hill High School on Wednesday, McCrory is currently prepping to compete for a world title in less than two months.

"It's just a rush every time you jump off the tower," said McCrory. "It's just mind-blowing. It's really fun."

McCrory finished fourth in the Olympic Trials last year, and has just gotten better since then.

He recently won a spot on the US Diving Team, and is getting ready for the world championships in Rome next month.

"He's by far the most talented diver I've ever worked with," said Drew Johansen, McCrory's coach, who also heads up Duke University's diving program. "His expectation of a quality dive is as high as any diver I've ever worked."

Johansen says the growth he's seen in the last couple years has been fun to watch.

"It's a combination of his work ethic, his ability and his desire to be the best in the world," said Johansen.

Right now, Nick is working on three new dives, trying to make the remarkable simply second nature.

"Once I get in my position, ready to go, my mind just goes blank," said McCrory. "I just do what I feel."

McCrory's already looking ahead to the 2012 Olympics, and that type of thinking has rubbed off on the younger kids he practices with every day.

"The kids on the team are getting excited about -- especially the young ones -- trying to follow in his footsteps, which are pretty big footsteps," said Johansen.

Despite his success, McCrory's kept humble.

"To be honest, yeah I am actually a little surprised that it's taken this turn," said McCrory. "But I'm obviously really happy. So, it feels good."

The world championships will be open-air, so McCrory has been practicing at the Candler Swim Club in Raleigh, which has one of the only diving towers in the area.

McCrory will be in the Triangle for a while after competing in Rome; he's one of the best prospects from Duke's incoming recruiting class.

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