Olympic pair take first gold at National Diving Championship
The curtain rises on the 2023 National Diving Championship at the SPD Bank Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Pudong today.
Gathering China's best diving athletes, the event serves as the selection competition for the Fukuoka World Championship, the Hangzhou Asian Games, and the Chengdu Universiade.
Olympic champion pair Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan clinched the first gold medal of the tournament on Sunday morning by winning the women's synchronized 10m platform final.
However, Shanghai's Chen was not completely satisfied.
"Our air posture is a bit flabby, and there is still room for improvement," she said.
Her partner Quan, from Guangdong Province, also showed modesty.
"Our synchronization can still be improved," she said.
Chen Yuxi (right) and Quan Hongchan won the women's synchronized 10m platform final at the 2023 National Diving Championship in Shanghai.
The young divers proved their ability during the Tokyo Olympic Games. Quan, turning 16 years old this month, won the women's individual gold in the 10m platform, while 17-year-old Chen was crowned in the women's synchronized 10m platform.
They were paired after the Tokyo Olympics, and grabbed two gold medals at last year's World Championship and World Cup.
The Shanghai event serves as one of the three selection competitions for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. After the synchronized item, the two will take part in individual disciplines respectively in the following days.
In a Sunday afternoon competition, Guangdong pair He Chao and Yan Siyu won the gold medal of the men's synchronized 10m platform.
The National Diving Championship is held at SPD Bank Shanghai Oriental Sports Center's indoor swimming center through March 25, covering items like 10m platform, 3m and 1m springboard, as well as individual and mixed all-round.
Ticket holders can reach the venue by Metro line 6, 8 and 11.
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