China peerless in diving dominance, aim for clean sweep at world championships
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Despite the rivalry, some top divers like (from left) Australia's Maddison Keeney and China's Chen Yiwen and Chang Yani have formed firm friendships.
PHOTO: MADDIKEENEY/INSTAGRAM
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- China aims to sweep all 13 gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships diving competition, which starts at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on July 26.
- Cao Yuan, a versatile diver, highlights the challenges of switching between springboard and platform diving, requiring dedicated training and adaptation.
- Wang Zongyuan focuses on self-improvement and maintaining a positive attitude, while Maddison Keeney values the positive relationships among divers.
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SINGAPORE – At Paris 2024, China rammed home their diving dominance by becoming the first nation to win all eight gold medals at the Olympics.
When the diving competition for the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) kicks off at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on July 26, China’s Dream Team will once again look to sweep all 13 gold medals on offer, like they did in 2022.
Fans will be disappointed not to catch three-gold Olympic champion Quan Hongchan in action – the 18-year-old 10m platform prodigy is nursing an ankle injury – while Paris 2024 springboard gold medallists Xie Siyi and Chang Yani are also missing, though there will be no lack of stardust.
Leading the way for China is stalwart Cao Yuan, a rare talent like compatriot Fu Mingxia and American Greg Louganis, who were equally outstanding in springboard and platform events.
Since London 2012, Cao has stood atop the podium at four consecutive Olympics and helped China complete the sweep in Paris.
In an interview with Chinese media, the 30-year-old, who will compete in the men’s 3m springboard and mixed 3m & 10m team events in Singapore, said: “It confuses me – am I a platform or springboard diver? Sometimes, I don’t even know.
“The platform is fixed, and I just have to do my best to complete my diving elements, whereas the springboard is moving and I have to find its rhythm and be one with the board in order to do well.
“Regardless of the event, I have to train double and work doubly hard. The irregular switching can be troublesome, as I have to switch focus and keep adapting my technical moves and habits.”
Born in Beijing, Cao was sent to diving classes by his mother to expend his boundless energy. He started out as a platform diver and broke through at 17 to win the London 2012 men’s 10m synchronised gold with Zhang Yanquan.
As he grew taller and heavier, and as more Chinese platform divers emerged over the next few years, his sporting career reached a crossroads and he had to pivot to the 3m springboard.
China national diving coach Zhou Jihong explained: “As his body developed, he suffered from a stress fracture in his shin, and persisting in platform diving could aggravate the injury.
“Additionally, we were also facing a dearth of springboard divers. Qin Kai got injured before the 2014 Fina Diving World Cup and Cao Yuan did well to place second in the men’s 3m springboard and win the 3m synchronised final, which confirmed our decision to make the switch.”
After striking gold at Rio 2016 in the men’s 3m springboard, he returned to his first love and claimed gold in the 10m platform at Tokyo 2020, despite a problematic left shoulder. He conquered the same event in Paris after undergoing surgery in 2023.
These days, it is not uncommon to see Cao competing with plasters on his shoulders, arms, thighs, knees and heel.
When asked what more he wants to achieve after Paris 2024, he said poignantly: “I really want to compete at an Olympics in good health, without any injury.”
As Cao mulls the twilight of his career, China’s men’s springboard supremacy will be continued by 23-year-old Wang Zongyuan, who is unbeaten at the championships since 2019. He also has two Olympic men’s 3m synchronised golds.
Despite finishing second in the men’s 3m springboard behind Xie at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, Wang is known for his smiling demeanour.
He said: “Competition helps me become a better version of myself as I work towards my goals. While standing on top of the podium makes me happiest, the friendly competition with Xie Siyi helps me work harder and be more disciplined.
“Regardless of the results, I will continue smiling because I feel we need to be positive and enthusiastic about life, and a guy who likes to laugh and smile can’t be too unlucky.”
With China topping the WCH diving competition in the 13 editions since 2001, the other participating teams will need some good fortune to pinch gold.
Japan’s 18-year-old Rikuto Tamai ran Cao close at Paris 2024, where a disastrous fifth dive yielded just 39.10 points as he finished with silver.
Meanwhile, Australia prevented a Chinese sweep at the championships in 2019 and 2023, when Matthew Carter and Maddison Keeney won the mixed 3m springboard, and Cassiel Rousseau won the men’s 10m platform respectively.
Keeney proved her success was not a fluke when she teamed up with Domonic Bedggood to win the mixed 3m springboard again in 2024.
Her teammates Alysha Koloi won the women’s 1m springboard and Mexican Osmar Olvera made a breakthrough in the men’s event. Spearheaded by the now-retired Tom Daley, Britain claimed the team gold.
Despite the rivalry, Keeney regards Chinese divers like Chen Yiwen and Chang like sisters.
She said: “I’m really lucky to have such a positive competitive relationship with them. No matter what happens on the board, it doesn’t affect our relationship off the board. It even strengthens it.
“Sport, you need to be able to enjoy it. The women’s 3m has such a positive culture within itself. Everyone wants the best for everyone, and when we get to come together for competitions, it just makes it all the more sweet to be able to compete against your friends.”
