A roadmap to follow for the diving competition during the Paris Olympics:
Athletes To Watch
—Wang Zongyuan, China: The Tokyo silver medalist on 3-meter springboard behind teammate Xie Siyi, Wang has established himself as the favorite heading into Paris with three straight world championships.
—Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi, China: These teenagers have gone back and forth as the world’s top female divers off the 10-meter platform. The 17-year-old Quan won gold at the Tokyo Games ahead of her teammate. The 18-year-old Chen captured back-to-back world championships before Quan reclaimed the top spot at this year’s worlds in Doha, Qatar. No one else is even close to this duo.
—Tom Daley, Britain. He will compete in his fifth Olympics at age 30, coming off a gold medal-winning performance in synchronized platform at Tokyo. Daley will be looking to add to an Olympic collection that also includes three bronze medals.
Storylines To Follow
—China’s Dominance. The Big Red Machine has dominated the sport for the past four decades, and there’s nothing to indicate anything will change at these Games. Starting with the 1984 Olympics when it won its first diving gold, China has won 47 of 64 gold medals in Olympic diving, plus 23 silver and 10 bronze. It is nothing less than one of the greatest dynasties in Olympic sports history. The only question heading into Paris is whether China can sweep all eight diving events at a single Games for the first time.
—Synchronized Hopes. The best chance at gold for the rest of the world likely will be in one of the synchronized events. China’s only loss at each of the last two Games came to British duos in men’s synchro, with Chris Mears and Jack Laugher claiming the 3-meter title in 2016 before Daley and Matty Lee upset the Chinese team on the 10-meter tower in Tokyo.
—Red-White-and-Blue Prospects: The Americans once dominated this sport, and they’ll be looking to follow up on a promising performance in Tokyo. The U.S. captured a pair of synchronized silver medals as well as Krysta Palmer’s springboard bronze.
Key Dates
The diving competition, which is being held at the new Paris Aquatics Centre, begins July 27 with the final of women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard. The schedule is staggered over 10 days through Aug. 10, when the meet concludes with the final of men’s 10-meter platform. Medals will be awarded on July 29, July 31, Aug. 2, Aug. 6, Aug. 8 and Aug. 9.
Reigning Champions
Men’s Events:
—3-meter springboard: Xie Siyi, China.
—10M platform: Cao Yuan, China.
—Synchronized 3M springboard: Xie Siyi and Wang Zongyuan, China.
—Synchronized 10M platform: Tom Daley and Matty Lee, Britain.
Women’s Events:
—3M springboard: Shi Tingmao, China.
—10M platform: Quan Hongchan, China.
—Synchronized 3M springboard: Shi Tingmao and Wang Han, China.
—Synchronized 10M platform: Chen Yuxi and Zhang Jiaqi, China.
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