Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics – Diving
- July 25-August 7, 2021
- Olympic Aquatics Center, Tokyo, Japan
- Official Results
- Women’s 3-meter synchro final – detailed report
China, the world’s dominant diving force over the last 30 years, started off the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a dominating victory in the women’s synchronized 3 meter springboard event.
Shi Tingmao, who won gold in this event in Rio five years ago with Wu Minxia, this time paired with Wang Han to take gold.
After the retirement of the legendary Wu, Shi take a center role in these Games – she is the defending individual 3 meter champion as well.
Women’s 3-Meter Synchro Full Results:
- China – Shi Tingmao/Wang Han – 326.40
- Canada – Jennifer Abel/Melissa Citrini Beaulieu – 300.78
- Germany – Lana Hentschel/Tina Punzel – 284.97
- Mexico – Dolores Hernandez Monzon/Carolina Mendoza Hernandez – 275.10
- Japan – Haruka Enomoto/Hazuki Miyamoto – 269.40
- Great Britain – Grace Reid/Katherine Torrance – 269.10
- Italy – Elena Bertocchi/Chiara Pellacani – 267.48
- United States – Alison Gibson/Krysta Palmer – 263.49
With only 8 teams competing, with a maximum of one per nation, all pairs advanced straight to the final.
Judging was rather conservative for the first final, with China scoring about 19 points fewer than their winning score from 2016.
It was still a dominant margin for the Chinese, who had the highest-ranked dive in 4 out of 5 rounds of the competition.
The silver medal went to Jennifer Abel and her new partner Melissa Cirtini Beaulieu. That made the top two finishers the same as the most recent World Championships in 2019.
The big surprise was the German pair of Lana Hentschel and Tina Punzel. At the 2019 World Championships, the pair didn’t even qualify for the final. But Hentschel was only barely-18 years old at that meet, and the two have gelled as a pair since.
Only 4th at the FINA World Cup event earlier this year, that served as the final qualifying event, the pair peaked at the right moment for bronze.
The American duo of Alison Gibson and Krysta Palmerfinished 8th out of 8 teams. Both divers made their Olympic debut in this event. The pair started out well, being tied for first place after the first two compulsory rounds – though those are generally the most straightforward dives, and it’s hard for pairs to make a big separation.
The duo went big for a 5154B in the final round, a forward 2/12 somersaults with two twists in the pike position, but the highest degree of difficulty in the field couldn’t save them from a last place finish.
The two dove at the World Championships in 2019 as well, placing 9th, but it was Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook who dove at the qualifying event, where they finished 5th.
Diving Medal Table – After 1 Event Final
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 |  Canada |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 |  Germany |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
Diving Schedule
- Sunday, July 25 – Women’s Synchronized 3m Springboard Final (Complete)
- Monday, July 26 – Men’s Synchronized 10m Platform Final
- Tuesday, July 27 – Women’s Synchronized 10m Platform Final
- Friday, July 30 – Women’s 3m Springboard Preliminary
- Saturday, July 31 – Women’s 3m Springboard Semifinal
- Saturday, August 1 – Women’s 3m Springboard Final
- Monday, August 2 – Men’s 3m Springboard Preliminary
- Tuesday, August 3 – Men’s 3m Springboard Semifinal & Final
- Wednesday, August 4 – Women’s 10m Platform Preliminary
- Thursday, August 5 – Women’s 10m Platform Semifinal & Final
- Friday, August 6 – Men’s 10m Platform Preliminary
- Saturday, August 7 – Men’s 10m Platform Semifinal & Final