Olympic champ Guo Jingjing crowned at swimming worlds
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-07-23 15:47

Chinese Olympic champion Guo Jingjing clinched the title of women's 3-meter springboard at 2005 Montreal World Aquatic Championships in rain in Montreal on Friday.

The weather was not so friendly to those diving girls. When a field of 12 divers competing in the 3m springboard final, unexpected rain began to torture them from the beginning of fourth round.

When Wu Minxia of China, the silver medalist of this event at the Athens Olympics stepped onto the springboard as the 11th starter, the rain suddenly became heavy. Obviously, Wu's action was affected by the rain to some extent, as 65.10 points for this dive was the lowest one in the scores of her total five dives.

Chinese Olympic champion Guo Jingjing competes in the women's 3-meter springboard at 2005 Montreal World Aquatic Championships in Montreal on Friday, July 22, 2005. [Xinhua]

Later, after the first two divers finished their last dives, the final has to be delayed by around 15 minutes due to the unbearable heavy rain. However, Guo Jingjing clinched her consecutive third world champion title in 3m springboard with a total score of 645.54 points.

Besides, it was Guo's fifth golds at World Championships, as she also snatched two gold medals in 3m springboard synchronized event with China's "diving queen" Fu Ming Xia in 2001 and 2003.

Guo said that she was very happy, because she performed very well and wasn't bothered by the rain at all.

Wu Minxia, who took victory in the 3m springboard synchronized in Athens with Guo Jingjing, had to settle for the second place again with 619.05 points. However, the always-laughing diver said that she cared little about the place in competition, but only herperformances.

"I performed well today, so I'm very happy," said Wu.

Tania Cagnotto of Italy finished third with 591.27 points.

Besides, both Guo and Wu expressed their thanks to a group of Chinese spectators. "I'm moved when so many Chinese spectators came to support us on the scene," said Guo. "The weather is so bad, but they still came here to cheer us. "

It seemed that the Chinese divers were also involved in certainkind of "home factor", just as Canada's top diver Alexandre Despatie experienced here. After Despatie's each dive, there certainly was a deafening roar. Finally, the 20-year-old grabbed home two golds in men's 1m and 3m springboard.

Blythe Hartley, who took the host's first gold in women's 1m springboard failed to shatter the reign of the Chinese pair. She was ranked sixth with 557.97. Russian veteran Yulia Pakhalina was one spot prior to Hartley with 581.04 points. The 27-year-old diver placed third in the 3m individual contest in Athens.

Close

Reds kick off their Hongkong tour Real stars in Beijing Real Madrid stars in town

Today's Top News     Top Sports News
65 killed in Egyptian Red Sea explosions         Nanjing Auto buys collapsed British MG Rover         'Impact of stronger yuan will be small'         Four dead, 5 missing in ship collision         Meeting hears calls for death penalty reform         Woolly row brewing over pants trade	Olympic champ Guo Jingjing crowned at swimming worlds       Chinese Dong to make debut for Man-United in Beijing       Liu Xiang ranks 10th on IAAF list       China fails to defend 1m board title       Nadal makes record on clay       New Zealand beats China 90-69 at basketball cup