Chinese divers lift three springboard titles at Diving World Series

World champion Shi Tingmao, Olympic titlist He Chong and He Zi/Chen Aisen pocketed three more gold medals on the second day of the FINA/NVC Diving World Series 2015 here on Saturday.

In the women's 3m springboard, Shi Tingmao took the lead from the beginning and beat her favorite teammate He Zi, winning her first individual victory at the World Series in 389.60 points. He Zi finished second in 372.90 and Pamela Ware of Canada third in 335.25.

Shi, who won many women's 3m synchro springboard golds with four-time Olympic champion Wu Minxia in international events in recent years, performed solid and clear entries in all five dives and earned a game-high 80.60 for her fourth round 107C.

"My trademark is the entry while I am still weak in some other aspects comparing with the others elite divers. I just performed my best today, better than what I did during training. I feel excited on the springboard. I am also more confident than before because I cherish every competition and learn from the competition," Shi said.

In the men's 3m springboard final, Beijing Olympic champion He Chong overcame up-and-downs in his first four dives and earned 551.50 for the gold medal, beating Cao Yuan and Patrick Hausding of Germany 520.00.

"I feel familiar and great when I compete at the Water Cube. Though I did not have a good winter training session, I gain confidence from today's competition which is really competitive. I think I am getting ready for the World Championships and Olympic qualifier," He said.

Both enjoyed perfect last dive, Cao scored a day-high 98.80 for his 109C while Hausding scored a 97.50 for his 5156B.

"It was a brilliant and risky final dive. I took a risk by using 5156B in the final and it worth it! The total scores are very close to my personal best in the international events. I have competed in three events and got three medals. I am happy," Hausding said.

He Zi/Chen Aisen won the newly-added mixed 3m synchro springboard titles by stable dives while Jennifer Abel/Francois Imbeau-Dulac of Canada showed their highest difficult 5154B with 3.4 degree of difficulty and placed second in 319.71. Dolores Hernandez/Rommel Pacheco of Mexico came to third in 293.10.

He Zi revealed she trained mixed synchro with Chen for about one month. "This event requires men diver reduce height and difficulties to work with women. It is not easy," He said.

Pacheco explained why he did not pair with Mexico's Diving Princess Paola Espinosa.

"Paola dives a lot on the platform and I jump on the springboard. Our synchronization of height and speed are totally different. It is a new event that we need to work more on it," Pecheco said.

Cornel Marculescu, FINA Executive Director, believes the mixed synchro events will attract more people and television.

"FINA want to modernize our aquatic sports. We have done the mixed races in swimming - mixed relay. In synchronizing swimming, we have mixed duet, and diving we have mixed synchro divers. I think it will benefit athletes. women and men compete together in other sports, why not us? It will be very interesting to see how we attract more people and television by adding the mixed events," Marculescu said.

The three-day World Series will come to an end on Sunday after men's and women's 10m platform and mixed synchro platform. Endi