Doha, Qatar, February 8, 2024: China won two more diving gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024 on Wednesday, February 7, extending their record to 6-for-6 at the Hamad Aquatic Centre.
Although nine diving events have now been completed, China entered only six of them – and has won them all.
On Wednesday, Chang Yani and Chen Yimen won the women’s 3m synchro for the third year in a row and Wang Zongyuan beat two-time world champion Xie Siyi to claim his third straight 3m springboard gold.
*In the women’s 3m synchro, Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen scored a three-peat of their own, ahead of Australia’s Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith (silver) and Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen of Great Britain (bronze).
Chang, 22, and Chen, 24, won their third consecutive gold medal together in women’s 3m synchro, topping the field with 323.43 points. Chang also won this event in 2017, at age 15, with a different partner. The victory gave China a 13-peat in the event, a streak that began in 2001.
Chen said: “The gold medal definitely gives us a lot of confidence - but we still have much work to do.”
She added that the absence of a semifinal round was “a little different”.
“A final with almost 20 teams is a long-long competition, but we found our way to do our best. You try to think good things and just be chill about everything,” Chen said.
*In the men’s 3m final, the two double world champions from China were locked in first and second position all night.
Ultimately, Wang, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist, clinched a three-peat by defeating his older teammate Xie, the 2017 and 2019 world champion. Wang thus kept China undefeated in this event since 2007.
Wang accumulated 538.70 points for the victory - including 100.70 points for his final dive, a forward 4½. Xie scored 516.10 to take silver. Mexico’s Osmar Olvera Ibarra took the bronze with 498.40.
Wang commented: “Winning three times in a row is a great achievement. The return of Xie has been a great motivation for me.”
Silver medalist Xie explained: “After Tokyo, I didn’t compete in any big events for two years, so I’m happy to be back. I need work on keeping myself calm when I’m on the diving board.
“I’m planning to take it step by step and adjust myself and my physique to the best of my ability. I love this sport and diving is what I’ve done all my life, therefore I had to come back.”
