OLYMPICS /
Team China
'Diving Queen' Guo defends individual and synchro titles
Xinhua
Updated: 2008-08-17 21:45
BEIJING - Triple Olympic champion Guo Jingjing bagged women's 3m springboard gold at Beijing Olympics on Sunday, becoming the first-ever diver to win back-to-back Olympic individual and synchro titles.
Guo Jingjing of China dives during the women's 3m springboard diving final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 17, 2008. Guo Jingjing of China won the gold medal in the women's 3m springboard diving final, followed by Julia Pakhalina of Russia with silver and Wu Minxia of China with bronze. [Agencies] More photos |
The overwhelming favorite, oldest in the Chinese squad at 26, seized the lead with her first dive for which she achieved 81 points.
The glamour girl compiled a total of 415.35 points to grab her second Olympic gold on home soil.
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Wu Minxia (facing camera) of China congratulates her compatriot Guo Jingjing after Guo won the gold medal in the women's 3m springboard diving final at the National Aquatics Center during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 17, 2008. [Agencies]
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Guo Jingjing of China dives during the women's 3m springboard diving final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 17, 2008. Guo Jingjing of China won the gold medal in the women's 3m springboard diving final, followed by Julia Pakhalina of Russia with silver and Wu Minxia of China with bronze. [Agencies]
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Guo Jingjing of China dives in the women's 3m springboard final at the National Aquatics Center during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 17, 2008. [Agencies]
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Russian veteran Julia Pakhalina took the silver at 398.60, beating Chinese No. 2 Wu Minxia who settled for bronze at 389.85.
With the victory, Guo has so far collected up to six Olympic medals to break the record holding by Fu Mingxia, who grabbed five.
It is the fifth gold the Chinese "dream team" snatched at the Beijing Olympics. The diving powerhouse eyes a clean sweep of eight diving titles in front of home fans.