Olympic champion Guo Jingjing clinched the title of women's
3-meter springboard at 2005 Montreal World Aquatic Championships in
rain on Friday.?
The weather was not so friendly to those diving girls. It began
from the fourth round of the 3m springboard final.
When Wu Minxia, silver medalist of this event at the Athens
Olympics, stepped onto the springboard as the 11th starter, the
rain suddenly became heavy. Obviously, Wu's action was affected by
the rain to some extent, as 65.10 points for this dive were the
lowest in the scores of her total five dives.
Later, after the first two divers finished their last dives, the
final had to be delayed by about 15 minutes due to the unbearable
heavy rain. At last, Guo clinched her consecutive third world
champion title in 3m springboard with a total score of 645.54
points.
Besides, it was Guo's fifth gold at World Aquatic Championships,
as she also snatched two gold medals in 3m springboard synchronized
event with "diving queen" Fu Ming Xia in 2001 and 2003.
Guo said she was very happy, because she performed very well and
wasn't bothered by the rain at all.
Wu, who took victory in the 3m springboard synchronized event in
Athens with Guo, had to settle for the second place again with
619.05 points. However, she said she cared little about the place
in competition, but only her performances.
"I performed well today, so I'm very happy," said Wu.
Tania Cagnotto of Italy finished third with 591.27 points.
Both Guo and Wu expressed their thanks to a group of Chinese
spectators. "I'm moved when so many Chinese spectators came to
support us on the scene," said Guo. "The weather is so bad, but
they still came here to cheer us."
It seemed that the Chinese divers were also involved in certain
kind of "home factor," just as Canada's top diver Alexandre
Despatie experienced here. After Despatie's each dive, there
certainly was a deafening roar. Finally, the 20-year-old grabbed
home two golds in men's 1m and 3m springboard.
Blythe Hartley, who took the host's first gold in women's 1m
springboard failed to shatter the reign of the Chinese pair. She
was ranked sixth with 557.97, while Russian veteran Yulia Pakhalina
fifth with 581.04 points. The 27-year-old Russian diver placed
third in the 3m springboard in Athens.
(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2005)