Chen and Wang keep China perfect in diving

BEIJING // The teenagers Wang Xin and Chen Ruolin gave China their third straight victory in Olympic diving, easily winning the women's 10-metre synchronised competition. Chen and Wang totalled 363.54 points in an event China has won since it was introduced at the 2000 Sydney Games. "They were amazing as always," US diver Mary Beth Dunnichay said. Australia's Briony Cole and Melissa Wu took the silver with a score of 335.16, while the Mexican's Paola Espinosa and Tatiana Ortiz earned the bronze with 330.06.

The gold medal was a delayed birthday present for Wang, who turned 16 on Monday. Chen is 15. The duo could have more celebrating in store since Chen and Wang are ranked 1 and 2 on the individual platform. The Chinese also won synchro events in women's 3-metre springboard and men's 10-metre platform. They are hoping to sweep all eight golds in diving, a sport that has produced the country's most Olympic medals. It was a full house at the Water Cube, with partisan fans waving large and small red flags and doing chants in Chinese, punctuated by the cry, "Go China!".

Chen and Wang led through all five rounds, earning a perfect 10 for execution from one judge on their second dive, a reverse from the pike position. Before taking to the medals podium, Chen and Wang circled around it to shake hands with the Mexicans and Australians, continuing a tradition the victorious Chinese began after earning their first gold medal. The tiny Chinese pair held hands as they stepped onto the podium, then waved and smiled while cheers rang out and flashbulbs popped around the vast reaches of the arena's seating area.

*AP