Chinese Diver Quan Hongchan, 14, Wins Olympic Gold sets world record
Chen came into the event as the world champion, but Quan dominated once she took the lead in the second round. She finished on 466.20, well ahead of Chen's 425.40, while Australia's Melissa Wu, 29, was third on 371.40. On her Olympic debut, Britain's Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix was seventh, with Lois Toulson ninth.
Quan's gold means China has now won all four women's diving events at the Tokyo Games. Quan and Chen had identical scores after the first round of dives, but Quan went ahead in round two after being awarded a perfect-10 score from all seven judges.
She got a second set of 10s in round four, and in the final round, six judges gave her 10 and one 9.5. It is Wu's first individual medal after winning synchro gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 when Quan was just 18 months old.
All seven judges gave Quan perfect 10s for her second and fourth dives in the five-round competition. Perfection achieved first with an inward 3 ½ somersaults tuck, then more ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ followed for a backward armstand with 2 somersaults and 1 ½ twists. For her final dive, a backward pike with 2 ½ somersaults and 1 ½ twists, Quan received six more 10s.
With IOC President Thomas Bach watching at the Tokyo Aquatics Center, Quan ended with 466.20 points to finish comfortably ahead. Her Chinese teammate Chen Yuxi claimed the silver medal with 425.40 points.
The 15-year-old Chen won the 10-meter platform title at the 2019 world championships and took gold at these Games in the 10-meter synchro with teammate Zhang Jiaqi. But Quan, the youngest member of China’s Olympic team in Tokyo, performs at another level.
It marked the fourth consecutive Olympics in which China has won every single women’s diving event. Melissa Wu of Australia won the bronze with 371.40 points for the second medal of her Olympic career. The 29-year-old Wu, competing at her fourth Olympics, also won a silver in 10-meter synchro at the 2008 Beijing Games with Briony Cole.
Gabriela Garcia Agundez of Mexico finished fourth, and Delaney Schnell of the United States finished fifth. The only diving event that China has not won at these Games was the men’s 10-meter synchro, which Tom Daley and Matty Lee of Britain won.
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