China's He Chong wins men's 3m springboard diving gold medal

BEIJING--China swept the first six diving gold at Beijing Olympic Games after He Chong won the men's three-meter springboard title here on Tuesday.

He, 21, ranked world No.1, led all the way to collect 572.90 points.

Canadian golden boy Alexandre Despatie, silver medallist of the event in 2004 Athens Olympics, took the silver again in 536.65, while the bronze went to Qin Kai of China in 530.10.

"I performed steadily during the final," said He, this year's World Cup winner. "I have trained hard for four years and now I proved myself."

"I was very excited in the final," he said. "But I kept telling myself to be calm.

"I especially want to thank my coach. He encouraged me when I was down."

Qin, 22, winner of the event in 2007 Melbourne World Championships, trailed Despatie in the final and tried hard to surpass him, but still failed.

"I am very very happy about my performance today," said the 23-year-old Despatie, who won the bronze in the 3m springboard synchro. "I had a extremely difficult year, coming in February to finish fifth in the World Cup, which was not the result I want. And I have a back injury.

"Before the Olympic Games, I broke my foot," said the golden boy, silver medallist in 2007 Melbourne Worlds. "I started the 3m springboard with a very poor preliminary."

Despatie has had a difficult year. He fractured his fifth metatarsal of the right foot during a training session in April this year and this hampered his training schedule toward the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

"But today I performed six solid dives together, which is unbelievable, It is very fulfilling for me to win the silver.

"I am satisfied with the bronze. I performed well, but He performed splendidly. The competitors are all quite strong."

Russian "diving czar" Dmitry Sautin, who just claimed a silver in the synchro springboard, finished fourth in 512.65.

Beijing Olympic Games is the fifth Olympic Games Sautin participated, and also his last. The Russian diving icon made an almost perfect dive in the last round as his last dive in Olympics, which scored 99.75, the highest in his six dives and also the second in the round.

Mexico's Yahel Castillo, who is the only diver who can perform 5355B, a reverse two-and-a-half somersault and two-and-a-half twist in pike position, which difficulty degree is 3.9, only managed to take the seventh in 462.10.

China expects to make a clean sweep in the Water Cube on home soil. They swept all eight golds in the last meet of the FINA Diving Grand Prix in Rome earlier in July.

From the Beijing Games, they have taken the first six gold medals.

The Chinese diving team claimed five golds at the 2000 Sydeny Olympics and a record six at the 2004 Athens Olympics, contributing more Olympic golds for China than other sports.

Source: Xinhua