| By Christopher Ong | ||
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South Korea's Kim Na Mi (left), winner of the 3m springboard diving, looking at a tearful Liu Tian at the winner's rostrum. The Chinese was the favourite but a botched dive dropped her to third. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI
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A HUSH descended upon the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex yesterday the moment Chinese diver Liu Tian's third dive was ruled a failed attempt.
For the 15-year-old was the clear favourite at the Asian Youth Games girls' 3-metre diving final, after having gracefully executed her two previous attempts.
All that changed when she hit the water hands-first instead of feet-first at the end of her third attempt, a reverse 1-1/2 somersault with 21/2 twists.
The judges ruled it a failed dive and the crowd gasped as they realised that Liu Tian would not be given any points.
Sympathetic applause then rang out from the terraces but the damage was already done.
Despite having one more dive, Liu Tian's golden hopes were over. Instead, it was unfancied Kim Na Mi of South Korea who eventually took the crown.
The 15-year-old former swimmer, who switched to diving three years ago after watching Olympic champion Guo Jingjing on television, and now trains eight hours a day, capitalised on her opponent's slip-up to win with a final score of 357.2.
Lei Sio I of Macau finished second with 350.45, while Liu Tian took bronze with 342.15.
Said a delighted Na Mi: 'I'm very shocked because this is my first international competition. I was afraid at first, but I just focused on what I was doing, and that's why I managed to win.'
In contrast, Liu Tian cut a disconsolate figure as she wept freely during the medal presentation ceremony.
Later, the teary teen said: 'I didn't expect to dive so badly, I'm disappointed in my performance. I'm very sorry and will work harder in future.'
Her bitterness was understandable. After all, she had never recorded a failed dive in any competitive event before.
She had also arrived in Singapore with a big reputation as she was part of the duo that won the Fina Diving Grand Prix 10m platform synchro in Madrid last month.
Indeed, Na Mi was full of praise for Liu Tian. 'I knew she is a really good diver,' she said. 'But I just had to tell myself not to think about her while diving.'
Despite Liu Tian's slip, China still won a diving gold yesterday. Zhang Yanquan took the boys' platform title with a score of 633.45, a whopping 171.95 points ahead of Lee Tae Kyun (461.5) of South Korea. North Korea's Hyon Il Myong was third with 452.1.
