The world’s top divers competed from April 24-26 at the third stop of the FINA/NVC Diving World Series in Kazan’s crowded Aquatics Palace, the venue that will also host the diving competitions at the 16th FINA World Championships 2015.
Jack Laugher of Great Britain was the only non-Chinese diver to take the gold in the men’s events, winning the 3m springboard with 546.40 points. Olympic Champion Ilia Zakharov (RUS) and Germany’s Patrick Hausding respectively secured the second (516.71) and third place (512.20) on the podium.
Bo Qiu (CHN) triumphed in the 10m platform event followed by German Sanchez from Mexico (554.15) and Jiang Yang from team China (551.95).
In both the men’s synchro events, Chinese pairs Yua Cao / Kai Qin and Aisen Chen / Yue Lin won the gold medal totalising respectively 458.61 (3m) and 462.78 points (10m).
The final day of the FINA/NVC Diving World Series 2015 in Kazan was marked by Canadian triumph in the women’s 10m platform. The battle for gold in this event played out between Meaghan Benfeito (CAN) and Chen Ruolin (CHN) and ended in favour of the Canadian, who left her opponent just 1.35 point behind (338.10 and 381.75 points respectively). Tonia Couch of Great Britain won the bronze medal with a total score of 360.30. Tingmao Shi (CHN) took gold in the 3m event while Canada was second. Both pairs from team China excelled in the women’s synchro events (3m + 10m) and finished first on the podium.
China also earned the gold medals in the spectacular mixed events in the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The event brought together 67 athletes from 13 nations: Belarus, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia and Ukraine. Host Russia’s entry list included 16 divers.
The fourth meet of the FINA Diving World Series 2015 will take place in London (GBR) from May 1-3.
MEDALLISTS IN KAZAN
MEN
3m springboard: 1. Jack LAUGHER (GBR) 546.40; 2.Ilia ZAKHAROV (RUS) 516.71; 3. Patrick HAUSDING (GER) 512.20
10m platform: 1.QIU Bo (CHN) 573.05; 2. German SANCHEZ (MEX) 554.15; 3. Jiang YANG (CHN) 551.95
3m synchro: 1. Yua CAO / Kai QIN (CHN) 458.6; 2. Evgeny KUZNETSOV / Ilia ZAKHAROV (RUS) 444.12; 3. Jahir OCAMPO / Rommel PACHECO (MEX) 422.58
10m synchro: 1. Aisen CHEN / Yue LIN (CHN) 462.78; 2. Ivan GARCIA / German SANCHEZ (MEX) 433.65; 3. Patrick HAUSDING / Sascha KLEIN (GER) 433.02
WOMEN
3m springboard: 1.Tingmao SHI (CHN) 384.60; 2. Jennifer ABEL (CAN) 363.00; 3. Han WANG (CHN) 335.30
10m platform: 1. Meaghan BENFEITO (CAN) 383.10; 2. Ruolin CHEN (CHN) 381.75; 3. Tonia COUCH (GBR) 360.30
3m synchro: 1. Minxia WU / Tingmao SHI (CHN) 334.20; 2. Jennifer ABEL / Pamela WARE (CAN) 309.36; 3. Kristina ILINYKH / Nadezha BAZHINA (RUS) 280.80
10m synchro: 1. Ruolin CHEN / Huixia LIU (CHN) 338.88; 2. Meaghan BENFEITO / Roseline FILION (CAN) 316.11; 3. Sarah BARROW / Tonia COUCH (GBR) 312.54
MIXED
3m springboard: 1. Hao YANG / Han WANG (CHN) 333.60; 2. Jennifer ABEL / Francois IMBEAU-DULAC (CAN) 324.33; 3. Tania CAGNOTTO / Maicol VERZOTTO (ITA) 303.00
10m platform: 1. Junjie LIAN / Yajie SI (CHN) 345.12; 2. Meaghan BENFEITO / Vincent RIENDEAU (CAN) 325.38; 3. Nikita SHLEIKHER / Yulia TIMOSHININA (RUS) 316.77
Diving News is courtesy of FINA.