Guo rules women's 3m synchro diving

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-12-12 08:21

Chinese Olympic champion Guo Jingjing took the limelight of the Hamad Aquatic Center together with her partner Li Ting as they cruised to the women's 3m synchronized springboard crown at the 15th Asian Games here on Monday.


China's Guo Jingjing and Li Ting compete in the women's synchronised 3m springboard diving final during the 15th Asian Games in Doha December 11, 2006. China took the gold medal. [Reuters]
In front of the full-house audience, Guo and Li performed steady and showed a class of their own by totaling 337 points, beating their closest rivals Nishi Ryoko/Yamashita Misako of Japan, who posted 287.40 points, by more than 50 points.

Malaysia's Jimie Elizabeth/Leons Mun Yee finished third in 275. 04.

Guo, who has collected her fourth gold medal in her third Asian Games, said: "It is my only event in this Doha. Though we had a small error in the fourth dive, it didn't ruin our performance as a whole."

Guo, who teamed up with Wu Minxia for the gold in the Busan Asian Games in 2002, has combined with Li since the Athens Olympics. The duo swept to the title at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal, Canada.

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With the synchro victory, Guo become the most successful female diver in the Asian Games history with four gold medals.

"I will not defend the 3m springboard title and I don't regret it at all," said Guo. "I'd like to give more chances to younger teammates. I have experienced many big events and gained enough experience, " said the 25-year-old.

Yamashita said: "I am not satisfied with my performance, but I am happy with our results. My diving was not perfect and (I) couldn't enter straight into water."

Lin Yue/Huo Liang added one more gold to China as they topped the men's 10m synchro platform with 473.88 points, ahead of Ri Jong Nam/Kim Chon Man from DPR Korea in 432.90 and Kwon Kyung Min/ Cho Kwan Hoon of South Korea in 430.74.

Lin, 15, World Cup winner, said: "We don't feel pressure from the competition. We just concentrated on our dives."

The newly-introduced men's and women's 1m springboard events will take place on Tuesday.



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