Country Total
USA 2 4 6 13
AUS 3 1 3 07
GBR 3 1 0 04
CHN 2 2 1 05
CAN 1 3 0 04
Total 45
see all medals https://www.fina.org/competitions/5/olympic-games-tokyo-2020/medals?disciplines=
After the deception in the men’s
event on Monday, the Chinese were just perfect in today’s women’s 10m platform
synchro final, earning gold in 363.78. Since the introduction of synchro diving
events at the 2000 Games in Sydney, China never lost this final – pretty much
as in the FINA World Championships, where the only defeat for the Asians
happened in the distant year of 1998!
At 17 and 15 respectively, Zhang
Jiaqi and Chen Yuxi got their first Olympic medal, giving absolutely no chances
for the remaining seven pairs in the final. The difference of points to the
second ranked duet – USA (Jessica Parratto/Delaney Schnell), silver in 310.80 –
reveals the performance gap between a flawless final and a regular one. The
bronze medal went to Mexico (Gabriela Agundez/Alejandra Orozco, 299.70).
Both Zhang and Chen have one world
title each, from the 2019 FINA World Championships, held in Gwangju (KOR) –
Zhang then paired with Lu Wei for the gold in this event, while Chen is the
current world champion in the individual 10m platform. During the final, at the
Tokyo Aquatics Centre, the two young divers displayed a very solid programme,
not committing a single mistake during their five dives. At the end of the
second round – with a DD limited to 2.0 – the Chinese duet was already clearly
in the lead, with a 10.20 advantage over the Canadian pair. Then, they
progressed with 81.90 points for a forward 3 ½ somersaults (pike), 86.40 for an
inward 3 ½ somersaults (tuck) and 84.48 for a final back 2 ½ somersaults 1 ½
twists (pike).
Before the final, the bet for the
gold was certainly on China, but for the minor medals, Canada and Malaysia were
on the list of favourites. All seemed going in that direction after the first
two rounds, but then Mun Yee Leong, diving with Pandelela Pamg for Malaysia,
strongly over-rotated in the third combination, and again in the fourth
attempt. In the final round, it was Pandelela’s turn to fail the entry – the
result of these three mistakes was an unthinkable eighth and last position for
Malaysia in the final.
The Asian nation had been third at
the 2017 Worlds, second in 2019 and also silver medallist in Rio 2016. In case
Pandelela had won a medal today, she would have become the only female athlete
of her country with three Olympic medals – all sports included. She previously
had the 2016 silver and a bronze in the individual 10m in London 2012.
Canada was also in a good position to
enter the podium, but a disastrous fourth round, when Caeli McKay (competing
with Meaghan Benfeito) entered very short on the back 3 ½ somersaults, ruined
all the hopes for the North American duet. Benfeito had been third in Rio 2016
(with Roseline Filion), and fourth at the Worlds 2017 and 2019. In Tokyo,
Canada couldn’t avoid a new fourth spot, finishing 0.54 behind the Mexican
team.
In the meantime, while Malaysia and
Canada were experiencing their problems, USA and Mexico were able to remain
quite stable throughout the final. Despite over-rotating in the last dive,
Schnell, was solid in the remaining attempts. Parratto also didn’t commit major
errors, and the final prize was their first Olympic medal and also US sole Olympic
podium presence in the women’s 10m synchro since its inception in 2000.
In the Mexican team, the experience
of Orozco was precious for this outcome. Already silver medallist in the event
in London 2012 (at the time, with Paola Espinosa), she displayed a solid
performance and certainly inspired younger Agundez, who won her first medal at
this level. This is the third time Mexico climbs to the podium in this event:
after the 2012 success, Espinosa and Tatiana Ortiz were silver medallists in
Rio 2016.
QUOTES https://www.fina.org/news/2199136/flawless-china-displays-all-its-strength
BY FINA
Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming
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