Chinese diver Chen Yiwen competes in the women's 3m springboard final at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Oct. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
Diving powerhouse China underlined its supremacy again at the Hangzhou Asian Games with a clean sweep of all the 10 gold medals on offer.
HANGZHOU, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese divers demonstrated their prowess once again at the Hangzhou Asian Games with a clean sweep of all the 10 gold medals on offer.
China's divers made their Asian Games debut in 1974 and finished with four gold medals. The team has since competed in all subsequent Asian Games and has never let a top podium finish slip away.
World champion Chen Yiwen retained her title in the women's 3m springboard on Wednesday with 382.00 points, while Chang Yani took silver in 350.25. Japan's Mikami Sayaka came third in 304.65. Chen and Chang also won the synchro 3m springboard on Sunday.
Asked about future plans, Chen said: "We have two Olympic qualifiers in November and December, so my main focus is on these two qualifiers. I want to compete for two gold medals for China, for myself and for the team, but I hope I can do it more perfectly than this time."
Yang Hao claimed the last diving gold on Wednesday with six solid dives. Yang, the bronze medalist of the men's 10m platform at the Fukuoka worlds, collected 554.35 points for the gold. His teammate Bai Yuming took silver with 495.55, followed by Japan's Tamai Rikuto in 480.50.
Yang also won the synchro 10m platform title with Lian Junjie at the Hangzhou Asiad.
World champion and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Wang Zongyuan competed in the men's 1m and 3m individual events and claimed both the titles.
Chinese diver Quan Hongchan in action during the women's 10m platform final on Oct. 3, 2023. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)
16-year-old Olympic champion Quan Hongchan attracted most attention in her first Asian Games. Quan outclassed teammate Chen Yuxi to win the women's 10m platform, while the teen duo claimed the synchro 10m platform title together.
17-year-old Chen, the first diver to win the women's 10m platform title at three consecutive world championships, also showed her strength with several flawless dives.
Quan jumped to fame at the Tokyo Olympics when she got the better of Chen with a new world record of 466.20 points to win gold. Chen managed to revenge in last year's Budapest worlds and the Fukuoka worlds this July. The two are expected to renew their battle for gold at the Paris Games next year.
"I want to win the Olympic gold medal," said the 16-year-old Quan.
Chinese divers Yan Siyu (R) and He Chao compete in the men's 3m synchro final on Sept. 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
Veteran diver He Chao, who won 1m springboard gold in the 2014 Asian Games and 3m springboard world title in 2015, made an impressive return when the 31-year-old captured the 3m synchro title with newcomer Yan Siyu.
South Korea's Yi Jae-gyeong was the busiest diver in Hangzhou, taking part in four events - the individual and synchro men's 3m springboard, and the individual and synchro 10m platform. He finished with two silver and a bronze.
Besides China's reign, South Korea ranked second on the medal tally with two silver and four bronze, while Malaysia came third with one silver and four bronze. Japan was fourth with one silver and two bronze.
Malaysia's four-time Olympian Pandelela Rinong Pamg bagged a bronze in the women's 10m platform. The veteran now expects a fifth Olympic appearance in Paris.
Pamg made her Olympic debut at Beijing 2008 but didn't deliver a good result. She made big improvement four years later in London, claiming a bronze in the 10m platform. ■
