|
Guo, Jia dive for gold medal
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-01 10:17
Guo Jingjing made a splash in Shanghai on New Year's Eve, winning the women's
synchronized 3-meter spring board at the China International Diving Grand Prix.
China's ailing Olympic gold medalist Guo Jingjing made a splash at the
Shanghai Aquatic Center on New Year's Eve, winning the women's synchronized
three-meter spring board event at the China International Diving Grand Prix.
Guo teamed up with Jia Dongjin to clinch victory in the afternoon session of
Saturday’s proceedings while battling a bad cold. The duo from Hebei Province
beat the home favorite Wu Minxia and Yao Xinyi in a final that split the two
pairs by only two points.
The judges gave Guo and Jia a rating of 76 while Wu and Yao settled for a 74.
Later in the day, Shanghai's Huo Liang emerged as the winner in the men's
10-meter platform event, seizing his second victory at the two-day tournament.
The teenager, along with his partner Ying Hong, grabbed the gold medal in the
10-meter platform synchronized event on Friday.
Guo and Wu linked up to finish second to none in the women's three-meter
synchronized springboard event last year in Athens but were on different ends of
the competition yesterday.
Coaches on the national team confirmed that the Olympic-winning partnership
will not be restored as more young Chinese divers come up to grab a share of the
limelight.
Jia, Guo's new teammate, for example, showcased her strength at this
tournament. The teenage diver from Hebei almost upstageds Wu in the women's
three-meter springboard event on Friday, conceding defeat in the final by a slim
margin of less than two points.
"We are not much worried about the 2008 Olympic Games because the new
generation of divers has caught up very quickly," said Zhou Jihong, the national
diving team head coach.
|
