Diving Review - London 2012 Olympic Games

Round-up: China miss out on clean sweep

China reaffirmed their dominance in the Diving pool but could not get the clean sweep of gold they had aimed for after Russia and the USA had moments of glory at London 2012.

RENANG INDAH INDONESIA (12/8). The Chinese were odds-on to go one better than at Beijing 2008 and replicate their perfect record from last year's World Championships.

The sweep was on after the opening week of the Olympics when all four of their synchro teams stood on the top podium.

But two of the most memorable Individual finals in Games history denied them total dominance.

Arguably the most dramatic was in the men's 10m Platform on the final night of competition when China's biggest star, Qiu Bo, took silver.

Qiu had been unbeatable for the past two years and coasted to the world title 12 months ago.

The 19-year-old maintained the trend in the opening two qualifying rounds before he came unstuck in one of the greatest Diving finals of all time.

Great Britain's Tom Daley led deadlocked duo Qiu and the USA's David Boudia by just 0.15 points heading into the final round.

With a 17,500-strong crowd in attendence, Daley attracted a single score of 10 for his final effort.

The 18-year-old's degree of difficulty paled in comparison to Boudia and Qiu though, and when the USA diver produced a brilliant effort before Qiu slightly missed his a stunning upset was celebrated.

Boudia, who edged into the semi-final in 18th, was left amazed while Qiu stood shattered as his quest for a first Olympic gold was ended.

'It still hasn't sunk in that I had a gold medal, that I was standing on the podium and the anthem was playing,' said Boudia.

'Diving is extremely competitive and the rest of the world is catching up but they've stamped their feet on the sport, China.'

Four days earlier, Russia's Ilya Zakharov sprung another major surprise in the men's 3m Springboard.

Zakharov scored an astonishing total of 555.90 points to get the better of China'sQin Kai and world champion He Chong.

'I just can't believe it as of now. I have done it finally,' he said.

China's Wu Minxia equalled the record of six Olympic Diving medals. She completed a hat-trick of Synchro 3m Springboard Olympic titles alongside He Zi before announcing her intention to retire after winning gold in the individual 3m Springboard to equal the record.

On the women's Platform, Chen Ruolin defended both her titles winning the individual and synchro alongside Wang Hao.

The Chinese men's synchro teams were also dominant, with Cao Yuan and Zhang Yanquan defying their youth to win the Platform while Luo Yutong and Qin won the Springboard.

Boudia edges out rivals to claim gold

David Boudia

David Boudia produced an impressive display to claim gold for the USA in tonight's 10m Platform Diving final.

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA-Great Britain's Tom Daley led by 0.15 points from world champion Qiu Bo and Boudia heading into the final dive.

But while Daley won a single score of 10 for his final back dive, it was lower on difficulty than his rivals to allow Boudia to clinch victory.

Qiu finished with the silver, while Daley walked away with the bronze.

Chinese pair ease into Platform final

Aquatics Centre London

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA (11/8). Chinese duo Qiu Bo and Lin Yue produced another masterclass in the 10m Platform Diving semi-final.

Qiu, who took the world title 12 months ago, qualified in first place after twice attracting 10s in a score of 563.55.

Compatriot Lin Yue also notched a 10 as he finished 21.75 points further back.

USA diver David Boudia qualified in third and Great Britain's Tom Daley bounced back from the shock of his near-exit last night to qualify fourth with a score of 521.10

Qiu eases into semi-final

World champion Qiu Bo showed his class tonight with a dominant display in the first

round of the men's 10m Platform Diving competition.

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA (11/8). With Olympic champion Matt Mitcham back in action after two years of injury problems and home favourite Tom Daley, who beat Qiu to win the 2009 world title, in career-best form, the spotlight had fallen on the 19-year-old Chinese competitor.

Qiu responded by easily qualifying in first place from tonight's first round with a score of 563.70 while his rivals faltered.

Daley survived a major shock as he left it until his final dive to qualify in 15th - some 115.25 behind Qiu - while Mitcham was ninth.

David Boudia, who finished second to Qiu at last year's World Championship, progressed by even finer margins as he sneaked the final place on offer for tomorrow morning's 18-man semi-final.

Daley, 18, said afterwards: 'I've done my job today but not by the most comfortable of margins. But I'm through to tomorrow and tomorrow's another day.'

Chen defends Platform crown

Chen Ruolin successfully defended her women's 10m Platform title in tonight's final at the Aquatics Centre

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA (9/8). The Chinese diver had been unbeatable in the opening two qualification rounds and proved to be again in the final, immediately impressing her authority with an opening 10, on the way to 422.30.

Sixteen-year-old Australian Brittany Broben was Chen's closest challenger, but even then she was still 55.80 further back.

Pandelela Rinong Pamg took bronze for Malaysia as she edged out a tight pack behind her with a score of 359.20.

Victory for Chen brought her fourth Olympic Games gold medal, and a second of these Games after she teamed up with Wang Hao to win the Synchronised 10 Platform last week.

Chen had been more than 40 points ahead of her rivals in the qualifying rounds and admitted that had taken the pressure off her this evening.

'I'm very relaxed. It's like it's not the Olympic Games,' the 19-year-old said. 'I feel no high pressure, I'm relaxed.

'I feel very pleased to have another gold medal for China.'

Chen sets up Platform for gold

China's Chen Ruolin confirmed herself as the diver to beat with another dominant performance in the semi-final of the women's 10m Platform this morning.

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA (9/8). The defending Olympic champion blitzed her rivals in last night's first round and it was more of the same again in the last 18 as she scored 407.25.

Closest rival Meaghan Benfeito from Canada was 47.35 behind, with 16-year-old Australian Brittany Broben third.

While the points from this morning do not carry through to the final, it is hard to see Chen, who won her third Olympic gold in the Synchronised 10m Platform last week, being caught.

Despite that, Chen said: 'It was so-so. There were some dives that were not perfect, some entries that were not perfect. It's encouraging me more. I'm taking my competition even more seriously.'

Benfeito, fourth at last year's World Championships in Shanghai, had to overcome some jitters in training this morning before producing a score of 359.90.

'This morning my training was awful so I didn't know what to expect,' she said.

'I think everyone can be on the podium because on the results of the semi-final we are very close to each other so it's going to be hard.'

Mexico's Paola Espinosa Sanchez was almost a major casualty as she only snuck through to the last 12 on her final dive.

'I didn't expect to get to the final so I am really happy,' the World Championships bronze medallist said.

'I didn't do as well as I wanted to but that's the nature of the Olympic Games, you never know what is going to happen.'

Chen at her dominant best

Defending Olympic Games champion Chen Ruolin re-established China's dominance in the Diving pool by bettering her rivals in the first round of the women's 10m Platform tonight.

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA (8/8). China saw their bid to claim all the Diving gold medals ended last night when Russia's Ilya Zakharov pulled off a sensational victory in the men's 3m Springboard.

But world champion Chen ensured normal service resumed again as she topped the score sheets with 392.35 ahead of tomorrow morning's semi-final.

Malaysia's Pandelela Rinong Pamg was her nearest rival, some 43.35 points behind, but Chen still found reason to be disappointed.

'I feel it's all right. Two dives, I feel, were not really under control - the second and the fourth,' she said.

'Before every dive the whole routine goes through my mind.'

Germany's Christin Steuer, a last-minute inclusion for injured team-mate Nora Subschinski, was third ahead of Australians Brittany Broben and Melissa Wu.

'I found out yesterday lunchtime I was competing,' Steuer said.

'I was the reserve, and when Nora wasn't getting better, I just jumped in.

'I got third place, so that's good. I didn't see the competition, I didn't even see my own dives. I was surprised to reach third position.'

Australia's 16-year-old hopeful Broben said: 'I could have dived a lot better tonight but I'm hoping to save it for the final.

'It doesn't feel like the Olympics but when I saw the big London 2012 on the bottom of the pool, that's when it hit me.

'I suppose I would like to get a medal but there are a lot of strong competitors so I haven't really thought about it.'

Zakharov takes 3m title

Ilya Zakharov

Russia’s Ilya Zakharov ended China’s run of Diving gold medals by claiming the men's Olympic 3m Springboard title

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA (7/8). Zakharov scored a total of 555.90 in the Aquatics Centre to get the better of China's Qin Kai and world champion He Chong.

Qin scored 541.75 to take silver ahead of compatriot and defending Olympic champion He, who grabbed bronze with a total of 524.15.

'I just can't believe it as of now. I have done it finally,' the Russian said.

Zakharov added: 'I came second in the semis in the morning but I promised myself that second place was simply not good enough.

'The last dive was my grand finale. I thank everyone here who has supported me in my ups and downs.

China's He on top ahead of final

He Chong

Defending champion He Chong moved up to first position in the semi-finals of the men's Olympic 3m Springboard Diving competition

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA (7/8). Russia's Ilya Zakharov had dominated the early qualifiers, leading He by 6.75 points.

However, the Chinese competitor scored a total of 510.15 from his six dives in the semis, pushing the Russian back into second place by a margin of 4.55.

After claiming the opening five Diving events, China is targeting a clean sweep of all eight golds in London after finishing with seven from eight in Beijing.

He scored 91.80 for his inward 3.5 somersault and followed it up with 91.20 in his forward 4.5 somersault, which lifted him to first place.

He said afterwards: 'The gold is in my mind right now. I hope I can continue to do well.

'I don't know about other records we will be creating. My job is to dive well and that's all. The rest follows. There is some tough competition so I have got to focus.'

Zakharov fell to ninth midway through the round before rallying to finish second at 505.60.

The Russian said: 'I will try harder. It is not easy with China doing so well.'

He's team-mate, Qin Kai, who won the Synchronised 3m Springboard gold with Luo Yutong, finished third with 500.35.

The finals will take place in the evening session.

Zakharov and He through to semi-final

Ilya Zakharov

Russia's Ilya Zakharov tonight qualified first ahead of defending champion He Chong, who had been as low as ninth, for the semi-final of the men's 3m Springboard Diving competition

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA (6/8). It was a frustrating night for several of the world's best divers, with Germany's Stephan Feck forced to withdraw shortly after he completely bombed his second dive, almost jumping at right angles before landing flat on his back.

Venezuela's Edickson Contreras Bracho was left in tears after his second penalty for aborting a dive, while even China's Qin Kai was not immune, relinquishing the lead after he drew scores of 3.5 for his mis-timed penultimate effort.

Until then Great Britain's rising star Jack Laugher had not made a major mistake, despite being well below his best, but slipped off the board on his final effort and failed to complete the dive.

Only Feck and Contreras Bracho were behind the teenager in the standings.

Wu poised to equal record medal haul

Wu Minzia

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA (4/8). Wu Minxia looks certain to equal the record for the most Olympic Diving medals tomorrow night after easily qualifying for the final of the women's 3m Springboard in first place.

The 26-year-old Chinese world champion beat her rivals with a score of 394.40 to end the semi-final 32.3 clear of her nearest rival Tania Cagnotto.

Wu won the springboard synchro gold alongside He Zi earlier this week and will equal former partner Guo Jingjing's record of six Olympic Diving medals should she stand on the podium tomorrow night.

That would seem likely after she finished so far ahead of Italy's Cagnotto, aiming for her first Olympic medal at her fourth Games, with He third after she made some uncharacteristic mistakes.

Cagnotto is bidding to join her father and coach Giorgio, who won four Olympic medals between 1972 and 1980, in making the podium but admitted the gold wasWu's to lose.

I am very happy, but tomorrow in the final I will start again,' she said.

'I am not competing with Wu as she is very strong but today the other Chinese diver Hemade a mistake and it allowed me to come second. So we will have to see what happens tomorrow.'

Canada's Jennifer Abel, who won bronze at last year's World Championships, qualified fourth but said she was not expecting to win a medal.

The 20-year-old has already stood on the podium in London, after winning bronze alongside Emilie Heymans s in the women's Synchronised 3m Springboard on Sunday, and would appear to have room for improvement after a couple of errors.

'I'm hoping to stay around fourth, but if I do better and end up on the podium I'll be very happy, but it's not my objective,' she said.

Wu takes gold with perfect 10

Wu Minxia

China's Wu Minxia confirmed her status as one of the best women's divers in history by easily winning the 3m Springboard at the Aquatics Centre.

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA-The world champion beat her rivals, and claimed the first individual mark of 10 at these Olympics, to claim a record-equalling sixth Olympic Games medal in the Diving pool.

The 26-year-old began the Games by winning an unprecedented hat-trick of synchro springboard titles before tonight levelling the medal record of her former partner Guo Jingjing.

She did so emphatically with a score of 414.00 to be 34.8 points clear of silver medal compatriot He Zi, who she won gold alongside in the synchro.

Wu's victory also meant that China remained on course for a clean sweep of the eight gold medals on offer in the Diving pool having now won all five events so far.

Laura Sanchez Soto claimed the bronze for Mexico after she edged out veteran Tania Cagnotto by just 0.2 points.

Five-time World Championship medal winner Cagnotto's fourth placing meant she is still yet to stand on an Olympic podium despite competing in four Games.

Afterwards, Wu indicated that she was set to call time on her decorated career.

'I think this was the perfect ending for me,' she said. 'I'm very happy to have this ending. I was very emotional because I wanted to thank my coach.

'I have attended three Olympics and in the first I didn't do well.

'From 2004 to 2008 was very difficult time for me. After this time my body's condition and my psychology got better.

'I can handle more pressure than before.'

Olimpiade 2012: Results

Diving - Medal count (9/8)

1.      People's Republic of China (6-2-1)

2.      Russian Federation (1-1-0)

3.      Mexico (0-2-1)

4.      United States of America (0-1-2)

5.      Australia (0-1-0)

6.      Canada (0-0-2)

7.      Malaysia (0-0-1)

Men's 3m Springboard

1.      ZAKHAROV Ilya (555.90)

2.      QIN Kai (541.75)

3.      HE Chong (524.15)

Men's Synchronised 3m Springboard

1.      LUO Yutong / QIN Kai (477.00)

2.      ZAKHAROV Ilya / KUZNETSOV Evgeny (459.63)

3.      DUMAIS Troy / IPSEN Kristian (446.70)

Men's Synchronised 10m Platform

1.      CAO Yuan / ZHANG Yanquan (486.78)

2.      GARCIA NAVARRO Ivan / SANCHEZ SANCHEZ German (468.90)

3.      BOUDIA David / McCRORY Nicholas (463.47)

Women's 3m Springboard

1.      WU Minxia (414.00)

2.      HE Zi (379.20)

3.      SANCHEZ SOTO Laura (362.40)

Women's 10m Platform

1.      CHEN Ruolin (422.30)

2.      BROBEN Brittany (366.50)

3.      PAMG Pandelela Rinong (359.20)

Women's Synchronised 3m Springboard

1.      He Zi/Wu Minxia (346.20)

2.      Bryant Kelci/Johnston Abigail (321.90)

3.      ABEL Jennifer / HEYMANS Emilie (316.80)

Women's Synchronised 10m Platform

1.      CHEN Ruolin / WANG Hao (368.40)

2.      ESPINOSA SANCHEZ Paola / OROZCO LOZA Alejandra (343.32)

3.      BENFEITO Meaghan / FILION Roseline (337.62)

Wu closes on record sixth medal

Wu Minxia

Wu Minxia moved a step closer to a record-equalling sixth Olympic Diving medal after qualifying for the women's 3m Springboard semi-final in first place.

LONDON (3/8) LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA-The 26-year-old will draw level with former synchro partner Guo Jinging should she stand on the podium after Sunday's final.

Wu posted a score of 387.95 to beat nearest rival, and fellow Chinese, He Zi by 24.1 points.

Wu and He combined to win the Synchronised 3m Springboard title on Sunday and they stamped their class over today's preliminary round.

'It was my usual performance. I have done well,' Wu said. 'I will try to perform my personal best. I think everyone did quite well. It's very competitive.'

Italy's Tania Cagnotto gave her bid to claim a first ever medal at her fourth Games an immediate boost as she qualified in third place.

There were no major casualties as the 30-diver field was reduced to 18, with world bronze medallist Jennifer Abel qualifying fourth ahead of Australia's Sharleen Stratton.

Qin and Luo add to favourites' haul

Qin dan Luo

China's Qin Kai and Luo Yutong have won gold in the men’s Synchronised 3m Springboard..

POLO AIR INDONESIA - This is the team's fourth gold from as many events at the Aquaribs Centre and keeps them on track to win all eight events in Diving at these Olympic Games.

Russia's Ilya Zakharov and Evgeny Kuznetsov were second, with United States duo Kristian Ipsen and veteran Troy Dumais, in his fourth Olympics, third.

Luo said: 'I attended the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games selection but I failed. I was so disappointed during that time and I was thinking about retiring.

I thought this may be my destiny – not winning a gold medal at an Olympic Games. This year I went into the final and winning the first gold medal I feel proud of myself.'

'I was very nervous,' Qin said. 'In the second half of the competition I had a belly-ache because I was still a little bit nervous.

'That is because this is the Olympic Games. This is the top level in the world, but we did good eventually. This is our normal performance.'

China claim another Diving gold

Chen Ruolin and Wang Hao claimed China's third gold medal in as many Divingevents at the Aquatic Centre as they prevailed in the women's Synchronised 10m Platform final.

POLO AIR INDONESIA - Mexico's Alejandra Orozco Loza and Paolo Espinosa Sanchez claimed silver, with Canadian duo Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion finishing in the bronze medal position.

Great Britian duo Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow, the European champions, finished in fifth place.

'I expected the gold medal, that's why I was so calm during the medal ceremony,' said Wang.

'I was very excited when it was decided that I would partner Chen at these Olympics. She was already a gold medallist and a great champion. I've wanted this for a long time.'

Chen, who will also seek to defend her Individual Platform title next week, said: 'I just told her "don't be too nervous", but I think having moderate amounts of stress has its advantage.

'After we won we had a hug and she (Wang) said to me that she had always dreamed of this.'

China aims for Diving domination

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA - China will bid to go one better than four years ago and claim all the medals in the Olympic Games Diving pool over the next fortnight as events begin in the Aquatics Centre.

At Beijing 2008, only Matthew Mitcham denied them a home clean sweep after the Australian upset the odds to win in the men's 10m Platform.

It is in the same event that China face the toughest test to win all eight gold medals on offer - a feat they managed at last year's World Championships.

World champion Qiu Bo is the man to beat on the highest board but he faces stiff competition from GB hopeful Tom Daley, who is set to be spurred on by a 17,500-strong crowd at the Aquatics Centre.

Daley enters the Games in career-best form after being crowned World Series and European champion in the past six months, while he has also twice improved his personal best to cut the gap behind first-time Olympian Bo.

While the 18-year-old still believes he is fighting for silver behind Bo, Daley hinted that his experience of competing in Beijing could prove a decisive factor.

'Normally in Diving, silver is gold because the Chinese dominate everything,' said Daley, who beat Bo to win the world title in 2009. 'But you never know what can happen in the Olympic Games.'

Competition begins on Sunday when Wu Minxia will bid to equal fellow Chinese Guo Jingjing's Olympic Games record of six Diving medals.

Wu will aim for a hat-trick of successes in the women's 3m Synchro alongside He Zi, before they will go head-to-head next week in the individual event.

Canada's Emilie Heymans looks to be their biggest threat as she aims to become the first woman to win a medal at four consecutive Games.

Chen Ruolin is being tipped to defend her individual and synchro platform Olympic titles after also claiming both world crowns last year in Shanghai.

In the men's competitions, He Chong and Qin Kai are expected to continue the dominance on the springboard but it is in the 10m Platform where China's hopes of a perfect record are most vulnerable.

In the synchro competition, which takes place on Monday, teenage first-time Olympians Zhang Yanquan and Cao Yuan will bid to fend off a strong field.

The duo did not compete at last year's World Championships to offer hopes for the likes of runners-up Patrick Hausding and Sacha Klein, from Germany, while Daley will team up with 2004 Olympic silver medallist Pete Waterfield.

The Diving competition will then finish on the penultimate day of the Games with the much-anticipated clash between Bo and Daley set to be further enhanced by the recently-returned Mitcham, who has been sidelined by injury for the past couple of years

Gold for Chinese pair

Chinese pairing Cao Yuan and Zhang Yanquan claimed victory in the Synchronised 10m Platform final.

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA - Mexico's German Sanchez and Ivan Garcia Navarro took silver ahead of Nick McCrory and David Boudia of the USA, who took bronze.

The USA pair had an 8.82 gap over Great Britain pair Tom Daley and Pete Waterfield, who finished fourth.

The British duo had led the competition at the halfway mark but, despite being roared on by a vocal Host Nation support that included Prime Minister David Cameron, they faded thereafter.

A couple of errors, most notably on their reverse three-and-a-half somersaults dive, dropped them out of the podium places.

Olimpiade 2012: Hat-trick for Wu

China's Wu Minxia secured her place in Olympic history with a hat-trick of Synchronised 3m Springboard titles alongside He Zi at today's opening Diving event at the Aquatics Centre.

LONCAT INDAH INDONESIA-Wu cemented her place as one of the greatest female divers of all time as she also drew level with former synchro partner Guo Jingjing, who she teamed up with to win the past two Olympic crowns, with a record six medals at the Games.

The 26-year-old could surpass that mark next week, when she and He go head-to-head in the Individual 3m Springboard.

On Day 2 they were comfortable winners, leading after all five rounds to finish with a gap of 24.30 from nearest rivals Abigail Johnston and Kelci Bryant from USA.

Canada's Emilie Heymans and Jennifer Abel took bronze to ensure Heymans became the first diver to win a medal at four consecutive Olympics.

Home duo Becky Gallantree and Alicia Blagg of Great Britain had to be content with seventh place in the eight-team final as errors cost them after being fourth after two rounds.