Duke medical student Abby Johnston qualifies for second Olympics in 3-meter diving

Last time she competed at the Olympics, Abby Johnston had a partner.

This time around, the 2012 silver medalist in synchronized 3-meter diving will be on the platform by herself.

After the U.S. was notified by FINA that it could have two 3-meter divers on the Olympic team, Johnston qualified for her second Olympics Sunday in the finals of the U.S. trials. The Upper Arlington, Ohio, native was in second place after Tuesday's preliminary and semifinal rounds with a 14.95-point cushion and earned 69 or more points on three of her five dives Sunday to earn a trip to Rio de Janeiro in early August. 

Johnston's cumulative score of 949.30 across all three rounds was good enough for second place behind Stanford's Kassidy Cook.

One of the most decorated athletes in Duke history, Johnston and partner Kelci Bryant claimed the United States' first-ever medal in synchronized diving and ended the country's 12-year medal drought in all diving events in the London Olympics.

Since her college career ended, Johnston has balanced her international diving career with medical school at Duke. The 2011 3-meter NCAA champion just finished her second year of medical school and is one of three Olympic medalists in Blue Devil swimming and diving history, joining former teammate Nick McCrory—who earned a bronze medal in 2012 in the men's synchronized platform—and Nancy Hogshead.

Hogshead is the only Duke swimmer to ever compete at the Olympics. She won three gold medals and a silver medal at the 1984 Olympics. 

After returning to train at Duke, Johnston will travel to Brazil before the Olympic diving competition begins Aug. 7. The 26-year old earned her undergraduate degree from the University in 2013.