Wu, He capture 1st gold medal at Shanghai worlds
Source: Agencies |
July 17, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
WITH her superstar teammate in retirement, Wu Minxia is poised to become China's new diving queen.
Wu and new partner He Zi won the first gold medal of the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai yesterday, claiming the women's 3-meter synchronized springboard title.
It was Wu's fifth gold medal in the event at the worlds, tying her with Guo Jingjing, her former partner who retired in January after winning six Olympic medals and 10 world titles. The 25-year-old Wu's first four gold medals in 3-meter synchronized were won with Guo.
"I think we performed pretty well," said Wu, a two-time Olympic champion in the event. "We encouraged each other a lot, and it's very important for winning the title."
Wu and He's victory got China started on a possible sweep of the 10 diving medals at the first world championships to be held in the country where diving is one of the most popular sports.
China won seven of eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and took seven of 10 events at the 2009 worlds in Rome, Italy.
Shanghai native Wu and He led after each round of the five-dive final, totaling 356.40 points in front of partisan Chinese fans who endured wilting humidity at the Oriental Sports Center's outdoor pool.
Emilie Heymans and Jennifer Abel of Canada took the silver with 313.50 points. Australia's Anabelle Smith and Sharleen Stratton earned the bronze with 306.90.
"We had to pull out a personal-best performance and really go for it," said Stratton, who had left shoulder surgery five months ago that kept her from training with Smith until just two months ago.
Americans Christina Loukas and Kassidy Cook finished seventh.
Took control
Wu and He led by less than 10 points after the first two rounds, but they took control with their third dive and cruised through the last two rounds.
They received a perfect 10 for their last dive, a backward 2 1/2 somersault, executed so well that the water barely rippled as they entered together.
He competed on an injured leg, hurting it in training last week, which cost her two days out of the pool.
"I felt much better," said He, the 1-meter springboard winner at the 2007 Melbourne worlds. "We have been partners for about a year and I think our synchronization is getting better and better."
China's sixth straight victory in women's 3-meter synchro tied the record of consecutive wins in one event, held by the United States, which won the men's 3-meter springboard from 1973-91.
In the synchronized events, the top three finishers, along with Britain as the host nation, will earn a spot for their country at next year's London Olympics.
The Americans were fifth after three dives, but they botched their fourth and dropped to seventh, where they stayed. Loukas badly over-rotated and got out of sync with Cook entering the water.
China is well positioned to win the men's 1-meter springboard final tomorrow, with Li Shixin leading and countryman He Min second after the prelims. Li, 23, topped with 438.00 points, while 19-year-old He Min trailed in 432.95. Spanish Javier Illana Garcia was the third with 408.45.
Today's highlights are the men's 10-meter platform synchronized preliminary and final as well as the preliminary of the women's 1-meter springboard.
Wu and new partner He Zi won the first gold medal of the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai yesterday, claiming the women's 3-meter synchronized springboard title.
It was Wu's fifth gold medal in the event at the worlds, tying her with Guo Jingjing, her former partner who retired in January after winning six Olympic medals and 10 world titles. The 25-year-old Wu's first four gold medals in 3-meter synchronized were won with Guo.
"I think we performed pretty well," said Wu, a two-time Olympic champion in the event. "We encouraged each other a lot, and it's very important for winning the title."
Wu and He's victory got China started on a possible sweep of the 10 diving medals at the first world championships to be held in the country where diving is one of the most popular sports.
China won seven of eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and took seven of 10 events at the 2009 worlds in Rome, Italy.
Shanghai native Wu and He led after each round of the five-dive final, totaling 356.40 points in front of partisan Chinese fans who endured wilting humidity at the Oriental Sports Center's outdoor pool.
Emilie Heymans and Jennifer Abel of Canada took the silver with 313.50 points. Australia's Anabelle Smith and Sharleen Stratton earned the bronze with 306.90.
"We had to pull out a personal-best performance and really go for it," said Stratton, who had left shoulder surgery five months ago that kept her from training with Smith until just two months ago.
Americans Christina Loukas and Kassidy Cook finished seventh.
Took control
Wu and He led by less than 10 points after the first two rounds, but they took control with their third dive and cruised through the last two rounds.
They received a perfect 10 for their last dive, a backward 2 1/2 somersault, executed so well that the water barely rippled as they entered together.
He competed on an injured leg, hurting it in training last week, which cost her two days out of the pool.
"I felt much better," said He, the 1-meter springboard winner at the 2007 Melbourne worlds. "We have been partners for about a year and I think our synchronization is getting better and better."
China's sixth straight victory in women's 3-meter synchro tied the record of consecutive wins in one event, held by the United States, which won the men's 3-meter springboard from 1973-91.
In the synchronized events, the top three finishers, along with Britain as the host nation, will earn a spot for their country at next year's London Olympics.
The Americans were fifth after three dives, but they botched their fourth and dropped to seventh, where they stayed. Loukas badly over-rotated and got out of sync with Cook entering the water.
China is well positioned to win the men's 1-meter springboard final tomorrow, with Li Shixin leading and countryman He Min second after the prelims. Li, 23, topped with 438.00 points, while 19-year-old He Min trailed in 432.95. Spanish Javier Illana Garcia was the third with 408.45.
Today's highlights are the men's 10-meter platform synchronized preliminary and final as well as the preliminary of the women's 1-meter springboard.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
