Chinese divers dazzle in London world cup
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E-mail Xinhua, February 23, 2012
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Medal winners in the Men's 3-meter Springboard event (L-R) bronze medal winner Reuben Ross of Canada, gold medalist Chong He and sliver medal winner Kai Qin, both of China, hold up their medals of the FINA Diving World Cup in the Aquatic Centre at the London 2012 Olympic Park in Stratford, London, Britain on Feb. 22, 2012. |
The Chinese divers bagged the two gold medals in the 18th FINA Visa Diving World Cup in London on Wednesday, while the host Britain claimed its first medal.
Olympic champion He Chong won the men's 3m springboard, leaving the silver to his compatriot Qin Kai.
He, 24, produced a commanding performance and entered the final round with a 15.10 point cushion over Qin, winner of the synchronised 3m springboard on Monday.
"I am satisfied and very proud to get it," he said after the final. "This medal gives me more confidence for the Olympic Games."
Qin showed his ability in depth to recover from a poor round dive, a reverse three and a half somersaults with tuck, which dragged him down to the seventh.
In his next dive, the most difficult 109C which featured fast-spinning four and a half somersaults with tuck, he produced the dive of the night scoring a massive 108.30 points. The score took him straight back to second, where he remained.
Talking about the dramatic changes, he said, "I tried not to think about the score, just concentrate on my performance."
The bronze was grabbed by Canadian diver Alexandre Despatie with a narrow advantage ahead of the fourth place.
"It was amazing, emotional, tough," he said. "I love this sport so much, I love competing. It was a fight. I'm proud of what I did."
In the following event of women's synchronised 10m platform, Chinese Chen Ruolin, paired up with Wang Hao, won her second gold in this World Cup, despite a not-so-good start with just 50.40 points.
In retrospect, Chen said, "the scoreboard is so far away, I can not see it very clearly, so I do not think about it. I just focus on my performance."
She believed the medal meaning to her. "Because this competition is a warm-up for the Olympic Games," she said.
Silver went to Canadian divers Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion, who trailed their Chinese counterparts by a respectable 27.93 points.
The home crowd seethed when Sarah Barrow and Tonia Couch, Britain's most celebrated female diver who placed eighth in the individual 10m platform at the Beijing Games, produced a stunning last round dive, which catapulted them from eighth to the third in the standings.
"I am very very happy," Barrow said after the final. "The last dive, it's our best dive. We knew we had to score at least 80 points and we knew how to do it."
The 18th FINA Diving World Cup takes place from February 20 to 26 in the Olympic Aquatic Center.
With over 250 world's best divers competing, the event tests key elements of the venue operation and logistics such as lighting, results, scoring, workforce and timing while providing an ideal opportunity for athletes and team officials to compete at the venue ahead of the 2012 Games and offer feedback on LOCOG's plans.
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