Talkin' 'bout our generations of divers

From 1988 to 2008, three generations of Chinese "diving queens" - Gao Min, Fu Mingxia and Guo Jingjing - dominated the women's springboard.

Throughout their careers, the three diving stars demanded attention both in and out of the pool, each one a force to be reckoned with in their respective eras.

Born in Zigong, Sichuan province, Gao learned to swim at the age of 4. When she was 9 she started gymnastics training but was soon spotted by a diving coach, who persuaded her to switch sports.

She won her first major international competition on the 3m springboard at the 1986 World Championships, kicking off six years of diving domination.

She was undefeated in world meets in 3m springboard between 1986 and 1992, including Olympic gold-medal wins at both the 1988 Seoul Games and 1992 Barcelona.

Her gold at the Seoul Games was China's first Olympic diving gold. She was also the first female diver to surpass the 600-point mark in 3m springboard - she did it three times.

When Gao retired after the 1992 Barcelona Games, Fu was right there to inherit the throne.

Like her predecessor, Fu also had a foundation in gymnastics, which she began at the age of 5. She switched to diving and claimed her first world title on the 10m platform at the 1991 World Championships when she was 12, making her the youngest athlete in history to win a world championship in any sport.

Her platform dominance only increased, as she went on to become China's youngest Olympic gold medalist at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Fu won the 10m platform gold in both the 1993 and 1994 World Championships and the 3m springboard gold in the 1995 World Championships.

In 1996, when Fu was 17, she captured gold medals in both the 10m platform and the 3m springboard at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. In doing so, she equaled the achievements of Germany's Ingrid Kraemer at the 1960 Rome Olympics, becoming only the fourth female to capture both titles.

She later withdrew from competition to study at Tsinghua University, but returned to training with her coach Yu Fen before the 2000 Olympics.

Fu successfully defended her women's 3m springboard gold at the Sydney Games and added a silver in the synchronized event with her young teammate Guo.

After Fu's real retirement, it was Guo's turn to lead China's diving dream team.

After winning two springboard gold medals in Beijing, her fifth and sixth, Guo has surpassed Fu to become China's most decorated female diver.

But Guo remains modest and respectful of the past generation.

"I think both Gao and Fu are two of the greatest divers in history," said Guo, who, at 26, is four years older than Gao or Fu, who both retired at 22. "I never thought of winning more medals than them."

After her retirement, Gao studied and ran a diving club in Canada, where she enjoyed her quiet life out of the media spotlight and spent time with her family. She returned to China with her husband in 2005.

But the younger generation has had a more difficult time keeping a low profile due to the size of their stardom.

Fu, for example, has constantly been in the headlines since the Sydney Games. Her 2002 marriage to former Hong Kong financial secretary Anthony Leung, was one of the biggest news events of the year.

She is now a mother of three and has been out of the public eye for a while.

Guo seems set to follow in Fu's footsteps. Her love affair with Kenneth Fok, the eldest son of Timothy Fok, a rich Hong Kong businessman and a member of the International Olympic Committee, has been one of the media's favorite stories this year.

Guo has said the Beijing Games will be her last Olympics, but after winning her medals she refused to call it an end, even though she is the oldest diver on the team.

"I have won all the gold medals I could after the 2004 Athens Games, after which I could have retired. But I kept on to defend the title on home soil in 2008," she said.

"During these four years, I found I really love the sport and like the feeling when I'm standing on the springboard. I don't want to leave diving."

Source: China Daily