Paris, France, August 10, 2024: China completed a golden grand slam of the eight diving events at Paris 2024 when veteran Cao Yuan sealed the men’s 10m platform title at the Aquatics Centre in Paris on Saturday.
There was joy, too, in the Japanese camp as 17-year-old Rikuto Tamai won the silver medal. It was the first diving medal Japan had ever won at the Olympic Games.
Cao, 29, won with a six-dive total of 547.50. Tamai, who led after two rounds before normal service was resumed, scored 507.65, and Britain’s Noah Williams won the bronze with 497.35.
China’s second representative, Yang Hao, had a day to forget and finished last of the 12 finalists with 390.20.
Cao now has four Olympic gold medals, having won the 10m platform title in Paris and Tokyo, the men’s 3m springboard at Rio 2016 and the men’s 10m synchro at London 2012. He also has one silver and one bronze. Cao also became the first diver since American Greg Louganis at Seoul 1988 to successfully defend a gold medal on the men's 10m platform.
China had won seven of the eight gold medals on offer in diving on three occasions, but never all eight.
Cao said his experience over many years helped him clinch this grand slam.
“I am very proud every time I can win the gold medal and very honored to win the title,” he said. “Every time in the Olympic Games I appreciate my own efforts and training. I have overcome many challenges in this last cycle and believed in myself.”
Tamai said he was very conscious that Japan had never won a diving medal at the Olympic Games. “I was nervous and wary and felt a lot of tension and that led to the failure of the 307C,” he said, referring to his botched fifth dive – a reverse three and a half somersaults.
“Next is to reach for the gold. In the next Games I want to win gold.”
British bronze medal-winner Williams was asked if China’s achievements in Paris had received the respect they deserved compared to the United States and Great Britain.
“In diving, 100 per cent China gets the respect they deserve,” he replied. “If you ask anybody they will say they are the best. I think they just train harder and better than everyone else.”
Williams described their facilities as “amazing” and their competition pools as “incredible” and said it was probably harder to make the Chinese diving team than winning Olympic gold.
