China makes splash at Diving Grand Prix
(USA Today)
Updated: 2006-05-14 08:40

China won three more gold medals at the FINA Diving Grand Prix on Saturday and has captured all five events so far.

The Chinese will go for the sweep Sunday when three more competitions are scheduled.


China's Jia Tong, left, and Chen Roulin compete in the women's synchronized platform at the USA Diving Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Saturday, May 13, 2006. The team won the gold medal with a score of 351.980. [AP]

Jia Tong won two golds ¡ª in women's platform, and with Chen Ruolin in synchronized platform. The other came from He Chong in the men's 3-meter springboard.

The Americans finished the day with bronze medals from Laura Wilkinson in women's platform, Troy Dumais in the 3-meter and Cassandra Cardinell and Christina Loukas in synchronized platform.

In the men's 3-meter springboard, He put up scores of 94.50, 94.50 and 102.60 on his last three dives, amassing 526.10 points.

"I felt I performed well, particularly on the last dive that had the highest degree of difficulty," he said through an interpreter.

China's Luo Yutong took second (488.300) and Dumais was third (465.150). Dumais won a silver medal in the 3-meter and a bronze in the 3-meter synchro at the world championships.

Jia opened the day by winning the women's platform, moving into the lead after the third dive. Her 387.550 points defeated Ruolin (367.050). Wilkinson brought home the bronze for the Americans (365.000).

"Most of my dives are still brand new; I just learned my third and fifth one in January," said Wilkinson, who won gold at the U.S. Open on the platform earlier this year. "They're still coming (along) so I'm pretty happy with how they are right now."

Jian and Chen made it look easy again in the synch finale, leading from start to finish in totaling 351.78 points. Second went to the Japanese tandem of Mai Nakagawa and Misako Yamashita (300.30) and Cardinell-Loukas finished with 295.98.