Tokyo, Japan, July 27, 2021: China’s teenage diving stars Chen Yuxi and Zhang Jiaqi stormed to a resounding victory in the women's synchronised 10m platform competition at Tokyo 2020 on Tuesday, extending China's perfect record in the event.
The Chinese duo topped the rankings with 363.78 points from their five dives, well ahead of Jessica Parratto and Delaney Schnell from the United States with 310.80 points and Mexico's Gabriela Agundez Garcia and Alejandra Orozco Loza on 299.70.
The runaway victory by Chen, 15, and Zhang, 17, means that Chinese divers have won the event at every edition since it was included in the Olympics at Sydney 2000.
"The Olympic Games is only held every four years and to compete at Tokyo 2020 has always been my dream; it feels different from other competitions," Chen told Xinhua News.
Zhang noted that spirits are high in the Chinese diving team. "Confidence is necessary, and we need to train hard," she added.
The biggest surprise of the afternoon at Tokyo Aquatics Centre was the disappointing showing of the experienced Malaysian duo of Pandelela Rinong and Leong Mun Yee – the latter in her fifth Olympics at the age of 36.
They finished eighth and last in the final field with 277.98 points with a mistake in the third dive putting them in trouble.
They both said they had tried their best and had no regrets, and Leong added that the synchronicity was fine but the individual dives had not been good enough.