"Xie Xie Xi'an!"(Thank you,
Xi'an) Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan called out everyone's words with a heart
pose as the host team China stormed to collect eight gold medals out nine
events on offer - with Australia capturing one title -- as the World Aquatics
Diving World Cup Super Final 2024 concluded here in Xi’an, China on Sunday.
Chen and Yang Hao, winners of women's
and men's 10m platform on the last day of Super Final, celebrated their
trophies on the overall rankings at World Cup 2024 as the Best Female and Male
Diver after three stops in Montreal, Berlin and Xi'an
Women's 10m Platform
In a battle between Chen Yuxi and
Quan Hongchan, it was Chen who laughed at the end as she crowned the women's
10m platform with solid five dives in a total of 443.20. Chen started second place after first two
dives, then clinched a game-high 94.05 on her 626C and kept the momentum until
the last dive. Tokyo Olympic champion and reigning world champion Quan took the
silver in 410.70, Andrea Spendolini Sirieix of Britain picked up the bronze
medal in 344.60.
"The huge crowd gave me a lot of
confidence and encouragement. I feel excited and full of energy to compete and
show my best in Xi'an. I will gear up for the coming Olympic Games together
with my best friend Quan," Chen said.
Quan admitted her mistakes in the
decisive 207C, which brought her glory some times but pity some other time:
"My mistakes comes from 207C with as poor as 66 points. I am not fully
ready and excited enough in the final. But I am very grateful to the audience.
My elder brother and sister are also here to cheer up for me."
As usual, Andrea Spendolini Sirieix
gave big hugs to Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan after the competition. "I
love both of the Chinese girls. They are incredible, their work ethic, their
diving, the way they approach things, their mentality...I look at them and I'm
in abide by them me. Quan is like my younger sister and Chen and I talk a lot.
I ask her how to get better at Chinese and her English improves every single
time."
Men's 10m Platform
Yang Hao, a native from Xi'an,
suffered from high fever just before the Super Final but found himself good
enough to lead the 10m platform from morning heat to final, winning in 557.60.
"It is my hometown and I am so
happy to compete in front of my family and friends. However, I suffered from
weakness after high fever these days, my legs were shaking during the last two
rounds in morning heats. The cheers from the crowd help me forget about
weakness and outperform in the final," Yang Hao said.“The gold medal and
trophy of the Best Male Diver of the World Cup are the best gift to the
audience.”
Rikuto Tamai of Japan also showed
stable form in throughout the preliminary in 526.60 and lifted his personal
best to 531.55 in the final. Randal Willars Valdez of Mexico came to third
place with 492.50.
"I am happy with my performance
today and I feel at home with the support from full house spectators. I hope I
can improve myself and show my best in Paris Olympic Games," said the
17-year-old Japanese diver.
On the medal table of the Super
Final, the hosts topped with 8 gold 1 silver and Australia second with one gold
and two bronzes. Britain placed third with two silvers and three bronzes and
Mexico fourth with two silvers and one bronze.
While the three-day Diving World Cup
Super Final comes to an end, the entire diving world will enter the time for
Paris Olympic Games
Written by: Zhou Xin, World Aquatics
Correspondent
Image Source:Getty Images
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