Clean sweep for China in the dive for gold

China would have been the natural favourite for gold at women’s synchronized 10m platform event on Monday at the Chengdu FISU World University Games, but at the start of the final the American team made it even easier for the local team, by not competing. Eventually only two pairs – China and Republic of Korea – participated at the event.

Chinese star Zhang Jiaqi, the gold medallist from the Tokyo Olympics paired with Zhang Minjie and dominated the whole way up in the finals. Executing all five dives with great precision, the Zhang team left Ko Hyeonju and Kim Seoyeon behind by a remarkable 106.68 point margin. The crowd cheering during their quest for gold, motivated them even more.

The pair teamed up in 2016 when they started training together, but they didn’t have much time to get ready for Chengdu.

“For the [FISU] Games we started to train only a week ago, but we know each other quite a while now”, says Zhang Minjie, student at the Shanghai University of Sport.

For both of them, Beijing Sport University students, education is really significant, but has to be managed alongside their training.

“Training is our priority, so we’re attending most of our classes online, but of course we don’t wanna miss any classes. Education is very important to us, but not as training”, explains Zhang Minjie.

Their main focus is at the pool. Therefore, they are not regular students who party or hang out with people all the time.

“I think all the students need to experience life at the university. I don’t have so much time to experience student life”, states Zhang Jiaqi, who won theDIVING KOREA Women’s Synchronized 10m Platform mixed synchronized 10m platform at the World Championships just two weeks ago.

In the event held earlier at the newly built Jianyang Cultural and Sports Centre Natatorium, home fans again had reason to celebrate. In the men’s synchronised 3m springboard, Chinese duo Huang Bowen and Liang Chaohui secured gold for the host nation, with Germany and Georgia finish second and third respectively.

It was the second victory and third medal at the Chengdu FISU Games for Huang, as the Guangzhou Sport University student won the gold and silver at the Napoli 2019 FISU World University Games. Here he paired with the Shanxi University School student Liang to claim the title once again, but on home soil.

The Chinese duo started strong in the finals and were marching towards gold, until the German pair Lou Massenberg and Alexander Lube came from behind to take the lead in the fourth round. It was the decisive final dive that determined the winner.

“In the first three dives, I was quite nervous and excited at the same time, but in the fifth dive I said to myself, just consider it as everyday training to compete at your best”, recalls Huang.

At a crucial moment, they found the mental strength to keep focus.

“My partner and I have known each other since we were kids. We have been competing together for a long time and we have started to understand each other over time”, highlights Huang, aware of how important is the bond between the divers.

Written by Ana Brenčić, FISU Young Reporter