The team of China totally dominated the gold medal chart in the second leg of the FINA/NVC Diving World Series, organised in Dubai (UAE) on March 17-19, 2016. As it happened in the first meet of the circuit in Beijing (CHN, March 11-13), the Asian powerhouse won all the 10 titles at stake, remaining unbeaten so far in this year’s competition. Moreover, the Chinese stars also earned three additional silver and one bronze medal in individual events.
Among men, the supremacy was complete, with Cao Yuan and He Chao (the “FINA Best Male Diver in 2015”) taking gold and silver in the 3m springboard, and Yang Hao and Chen Aisen getting the same outcome in the 10m platform. These two divers were also part of the winning duets in the synchro events. Other list of other countries with medals in the men’s competition included Russia, Ukraine, Great Britain, USA and FINA.
In the women’s field, “FINA Best Female Diver in 2015” Shi Tingmao (3m), and Liu Huixia (10m) gave no chances to their main opponents, with Si Yajie also earning silver in the higher board. In the springboard, Jennifer Abel (CAN) was the only diver in Dubai to do better than a Chinese, grabbing silver in front of Wang Han. In synchro events, the situation remained unchanged, with Chinese pairs easily getting the gold in the respective finals. Canada, Australia, Ukraine and Great Britain were the remaining medalled countries in the women’s competition.
Finally, in the mixed synchro events, China got the two titles, with Canada and Russia earning the minor medals in both events (3m springboard and 10m platform).
At the halfway of the 2016 series, China has now a perfect record of 20 victories. The final two legs of the FINA/NVC Diving World Series will take place in Windsor (CAN, April 15-17) and in Kazan (RUS, April 22-24).
MEDALLISTS IN DUBAI
MEN
3m springboard: 1. Cao Yuan (CHN) 535.65, 2. He Chao (CHN) 507.50, 3. Rommel Pacheco (SMF) 505.80
10m platform: 1. Yang Hao (CHN), 569.30, 2. Chen Aisen (CHN) 569.15, 3. Victor Minibaev (RUS) 530.85
3m springboard synchro: 1. Cao Yuan/Qin Kai (CHN) 464.52; 2. Oleksandr Gorshkovozov/Illya Kvasha (UKR) 435.39; 3. Jack Laugher/Christopher Mears (GBR) 424.92
10m platform synchro: 1. Lin Yue/Chen Aisen (CHN) 466.50; 2. Thomas Daley/Daniel Goodfellow (GBR) 428.91; 3. David Boudia/Steele Johnson (USA) 419.88
WOMEN
3m springboard: 1. Shi Tingmao (CHN) 392.25, 2. Jennifer Abel (CAN) 378.20, 3. Wang Han (CHN) 374.40
10m platform: 1. Liu Huixia (CHN) 397.30; 2. Si Yajie (CHN) 395.15; 3. Melissa Wu (AUS) 382.60
3m springboard synchro: 1. He Zi/Wang Han (CHN) 328.80; 2. Tania Cagnotto/Francesca Dallape (ITA) 316.95; 3. Viktoriya Kesar/Anastasiia Nedobiga (UKR) 309.00
10m platform synchro: 1. Liu Huixia/Si Yajie (CHN) 333.24; 2. Meaghan Benfeito/Roseline Filion (CAN) 326.58; 3. Tonia Couch/Lois Toulson (GBR) 311.76
MIXED EVENTS
3m synchro: 1. Wang Han/Yang Hao (CHN) 337.50, 2. Jennifer Abel/François Imbeau-Dulac (CAN) 323.46, 3. Kristina Ilinykh/Nikita Shleikher (RUS) 302.43
10m synchro: 1. Tai Xiaohu/Chang Yani (CHN) 349.74, 2. Meaghan Benfeito/Vincent Riendeau (CAN) 307.38; 3. Yulia Timoshinina/Nikita Shleikher (RUS) 305.22
FINA/NVC Diving World Series 2016 calendar
1. Beijing (CHN) : March 11-13
2. Dubai (UAE) : March 17-19
3. Windsor (CAN): April 15-17
4. Kazan (RUS): April 22-24
Swimming news courtesy of FINA.