Wu claims first individual world title
Source: Agencies |
July 24, 2011, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S Wu Minxia finally won her first individual world diving gold medal yesterday, pipping her teammate He Zi for the 3-meter springboard title by just 1.70 points at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai.
The 25-year-old has won five successive 3-meter springboard synchronized world titles, the latest with He earlier in the competition at the outdoor diving pool of the Oriental Sport Center but never an individual world title.
Wu scored 380.85 points over her five dives. He finished on 379.15 points. Canada's Jennifer Abel took the bronze with 365.10 points.
"It's not easy to win the gold medal," Wu told reporters poolside. "I made an error on dive four so I had to do my best in the last round."
He led after two rounds before Wu took over the top spot for good. Wu was a model of consistency, slipping into the water with barely a splash despite He being in close pursuit. "I'm happy with the silver," He said. "I made the same mistake as in the semifinals. Actually, my leg injury was not a concern."
Shanghai native Wu has been somewhat overshadowed by her former synchro partner Guo Jingjing, who retired after winning 10 world championship golds and four Olympic gold medals.
However, the victory yesterday gave Wu a sixth world title since she first began in Barcelona in 2003 and a 12th world championships medal overall, one more than Guo, and she said she was now concentrating on next year's London Olympics.
"I have overcome many difficulties in the past year. My next goal is to qualify for the London Olympics and then win the gold there."
China has now won all nine diving titles on offer and is within sight of a clean sweep after Qiu Bo topped the qualifying for the men's 10-meter platform final today.
Britain's Tom Daley, the champion from Rome in 2009, also qualified but some 110 points behind Qiu in sixth place.
Recently retired National Basketball Association star Yao Ming attended the final and signed autographs. The Chinese fans appeared nearly as interested in snapping photos of him with newly grown facial hair as they were in cheering on Wu and He.
Later, Russia completed a clean sweep of the synchronized swimming titles yesterday by winning the eight-woman team free competition and giving Natalia Ishchenko her sixth gold medal in Shanghai.
Russia, which scored 98.620 points, won all seven titles. China finished second on 96.580 points while Spain finished third on 96.150.
The Russia-China-Spain triumvirate was only broken up once on the podium during the competition when Canada took the free combination bronze.
The 25-year-old has won five successive 3-meter springboard synchronized world titles, the latest with He earlier in the competition at the outdoor diving pool of the Oriental Sport Center but never an individual world title.
Wu scored 380.85 points over her five dives. He finished on 379.15 points. Canada's Jennifer Abel took the bronze with 365.10 points.
"It's not easy to win the gold medal," Wu told reporters poolside. "I made an error on dive four so I had to do my best in the last round."
He led after two rounds before Wu took over the top spot for good. Wu was a model of consistency, slipping into the water with barely a splash despite He being in close pursuit. "I'm happy with the silver," He said. "I made the same mistake as in the semifinals. Actually, my leg injury was not a concern."
Shanghai native Wu has been somewhat overshadowed by her former synchro partner Guo Jingjing, who retired after winning 10 world championship golds and four Olympic gold medals.
However, the victory yesterday gave Wu a sixth world title since she first began in Barcelona in 2003 and a 12th world championships medal overall, one more than Guo, and she said she was now concentrating on next year's London Olympics.
"I have overcome many difficulties in the past year. My next goal is to qualify for the London Olympics and then win the gold there."
China has now won all nine diving titles on offer and is within sight of a clean sweep after Qiu Bo topped the qualifying for the men's 10-meter platform final today.
Britain's Tom Daley, the champion from Rome in 2009, also qualified but some 110 points behind Qiu in sixth place.
Recently retired National Basketball Association star Yao Ming attended the final and signed autographs. The Chinese fans appeared nearly as interested in snapping photos of him with newly grown facial hair as they were in cheering on Wu and He.
Later, Russia completed a clean sweep of the synchronized swimming titles yesterday by winning the eight-woman team free competition and giving Natalia Ishchenko her sixth gold medal in Shanghai.
Russia, which scored 98.620 points, won all seven titles. China finished second on 96.580 points while Spain finished third on 96.150.
The Russia-China-Spain triumvirate was only broken up once on the podium during the competition when Canada took the free combination bronze.
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