Divers from China were once more the athletes to beat in the ninth and final leg of the 2019 FINA Diving Grand Prix, organised in Singapore (SGP) on November 22-24. Representatives of the Asian powerhouse earned gold in all individual events, adding three more titles in synchro action.
Among men, Tai Xiaohu controlled operations in the 3m springboard, while his teammate Duan Yu was in the best in the 10m platform (he also won the synchro event, with teammate Wang Zewei). In the 3m springboard synchro, the Chinese pair Tai Xiaohu/Zhang Chao was leading until the last dive, but a shaky forward 4 ½ somersaults in the final round allowed the French duet Gwendal Bisch/Alexis Jandard to take gold in 406.38.
In the women’s events, China got the four titles on offer, with Huang Xiaohui and Tang Yixuan prevailing in the 3m and 10m, respectively. Both divers were also part of the winning duets in the synchro finals.
Switzerland (3m synchro) and Mexico (10m synchro) were the two other countries with gold medals in the Singaporean rendezvous, competing in the two mixed finals in the programme.
Great Britain, Japan, Puerto Rico, Russia and Ukraine completed the list of nations with podium presences in this last meet of the season.
The 2019 FINA Diving Grand Prix kicked-off on February 14 in Rostock (GER) and touched the five continents, with its subsequent legs being staged in Calgary (CAN), Mission Viejo (USA), Madrid (ESP), Bolzano (ITA), Cairo (EGY), Gold Coast (AUS), Kuala Lumpur (MAS), and finally Singapore (SGP).
Medallists in Singapore (SGP):
Men
3m springboard: 1. Tai Xiaohu (CHN) 465.25; 2. Miao Zhanming (CHN) 450.20; 3. Rafael Quintero (PUR) 433.00
10m platform: 1. Duan Yu (CHN) 477.45; 2. Rikuto Tamai (JPN) 452.75; 3. Diego Balleza (MEX) 451.75
3m springboard synchro: 1. Gwendal Bisch/Alexis Jandard (FRA) 406.38; 2. Tai Xiaohu/Zhang Chao (CHN) 404.25; 3. Evgenii Novoselov/Viacheslav Novoselov (RUS) 390.12
10m platform synchro: 1. Duan Yu/Wang Zewei (CHN) 414.48; 2. Benjamin Cutmore/Lucas Thompson (GBR) 405.36; 3. Roman Izmailov/Sergey Nazin (RUS) 393.60
Women
3m springboard: 1. Huang Xiaohui (CHN) 365.40; 2. Michelle Heimberg (SUI) 320.05; 3. Sayaka Mikami (JPN) 303.15
10m platform: 1. Tang Yixuan (CHN) 373.35; 2. Lin Shan (CHN) 357.60; 3. Matsuri Arai (JPN) 339.50
3m springboard synchro: 1. Huang Xiaohui/Wei Ying (CHN) 315.90; 2. Olena Fedorova/Diana Shelestyuk (UKR) 274.20
10m platform synchro: 1. Tang Yixuan/Du Yinying (CHN) 320.94; 2. Matsuri Arai/Minami Itahashi (JPN) 309.66; 3. Andrea Spendolini Sirieix/Josie Zillig (GBR) 269.22
Mixed
3m springboard synchro: 1. Jonathan Suckow/Michelle Heimberg (SUI) 293.40
10m platform synchro: 1. Maria Sanchez/Diego Balleza (MEX) 300.84; 2. Lucas Thompson/Andrea Spendolini Sirieix (GBR) 292.20
2019 FINA Diving Grand Prix calendar:
#1 – Rostock (GER) – February 14-17
#2 – Calgary (CAN) – April 4-7
#3 – Mission Viejo (USA) – April 11-14
#4 – Madrid (ESP) – June 7-9
#5 – Bolzano (ITA) – June 14-16
#6 – Cairo (EGY) – June 21-23
#7 – Gold Coast (AUS) – November 8-10
#8 – Kuala Lumpur (MAS) – November 15-17
#9 – Singapore (SGP) – November 22-24
