FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida -- Australians took home two gold medals and a silver, with Russia winning the only other gold medal awarded Sunday on the final day of competition, the USA Diving Grand Prix.
The Chinese were shut out of gold for the first time in the four-day event _ giving hope to the other nations preparing for the Beijing Olympics _ but still managed to lead all countries in the medal count with seven _ three gold, two silver and two bronze.
Australia and the United States each finished with five medals overall, with the U.S. capturing four silver medals.
Matt Mitcham and Matt Helm of Australia went 1-2 in the men's 10-meter platform, and Sascha Klein of Germany grabbed the bronze medal.
Mitcham received four 10s on his fourth dive. A former trampoline athlete who only started diving eight years ago, Mitcham leapt into the air with a clenched fist when he saw the scores go up.
"At the moment I'm so excited I can't even remember what dive it was. It must have been a reverse," Mitcham said. "It's my first Grand Prix gold medal so I'm very happy. Actually, I felt like I was slightly over on the dive but I must have gone in very well, and the crowd was just going absolutely bananas."
Helm teamed up with countryman Robert Newberry to win the men's synchronized 10-meter platform, holding off Americans David Boudia and Thomas Finchem. China's Liguang Yang and Hu Jia captured the bronze.
Russia's Yulia Pakhalina won her second gold medal of the weekend in the women's 3-meter springboard by the narrowest of margins over He Zi of China (357.90-357.75). Pakhalina won the women's synchronized 3-meter Friday.
Just like last year, China's best divers did not make the trip, but there were former Olympic gold medalists in the group, including Hu Jia, who won the individual 10-meter platform at the Athens Olympics.
Helm and Newberry said they did not think the absence of top Chinese divers took any of the tarnish off of the medals.
"Every country has to decide for themselves how they want to prepare for their competitions and who they want to send," Newberry said. "I know for a fact China has so many quality athletes and even a team that isn't considered to be their top team has got quality athletes on it."
