Gold medalist Chen Yiwen (R) and bronze medalist Chang Yani react after the medal ceremony for the women's 3m springboard at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup 2023 Super Final in Berlin, Germany on Aug. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
As Chen Yiwen won the women's 3m springboard gold and Yang Hao dominated the men's 10m platform, China pocketed eight golds at Diving World Cup Berlin Super Final.
BERLIN, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's Chen Yiwen clinched the women's 3m springboard gold, while Yang Hao dominated the men's 10m platform on Sunday, bringing China's gold medal haul to eight at the World Aquatics World Cup Berlin Super Final.
Two-time world champion Chen Yiwen narrowly clinched victory with 344.15 points, a slim margin of 1.55 points ahead of Japanese diver Sayaka Mikami. Not far behind was Chang Yani, the 2023 worlds silver medalist, who finished third, 25.65 points behind her compatriot.
Approaching her final dive, Chen was acutely aware that Mikami trailed by less than 10 points.
"I thought 10 points were not that close," the 24-year-old said. "I missed a lot of details of my dives. It's not supposed to be like this. I'm happy with the result, but maybe I should have done it better."
Chen Yiwen waves to spectators after the competition. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Reflecting further on her season, she stated, "I had my best dives this season in Montreal. From Fukuoka to Berlin, I was like going down a little bit. I hope to deliver the best of myself at the Paris Olympics."
Chang, on the other hand, acknowledged her own struggles. "I felt a bit exhausted both mentally and physically. It seemed that I couldn't focus all on the competition. From Xi'an to Berlin, I was feeling like a little snail climbing from the bottom. Slowly though, I will not stop moving."
Pamela Ware, the 2023 World Championships bronze medalist, finished in fourth place, a mere 7.45 points away from a podium position. The 30-year-old Canadian's aspirations were hampered by her first dive, which fetched her only 54 points.
In the men's 10m event, Yang Hao, a three-time world championship medalist, showcased his prowess, consistently leading through all six dives and finishing with 537.25 points. Oleksii Sereda of Ukraine, at just 17, clinched second place, making him the youngest in the field. Noah Williams of Britain secured third, while Cassiel Rousseau of Australia, the recent world champion, placed sixth.
Yang Hao poses with the medal after the men's 10m platform final. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Yang commented on his win and previous loss in Fukuoka, saying, "In diving, the only opponent is ourselves. We hope that all of us will dive the best of ourselves."
After their impressive medal haul, Chinese divers did not partake in the mixed team event. This left Canada, Australia, and Britain to secure their spots on the podium. ■
