Chinese divers chasing clean sweep of golds at world titles
China’s divers are looking for another gold medal clean sweep when the world aquatic championships starts on Saturday in Barcelona as the swimming world adjusts to life without pool legend Michael Phelps.
China’s divers are looking for another gold medal clean sweep when the world aquatic championships starts on Saturday in Barcelona as the swimming world adjusts to life without pool legend Michael Phelps.
Having quit after London last year, where he collected a record 18th Olympic gold medal, Phelps, 28, will only be a spectator at Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi stadium.
I will show a new dive in Spain, which has a high difficulty rating, and I hope I can dive it well
In his wake, the likes of compatriots Missy Franklin and Ryan Lochte, Australia’s James Magnussen plus Chinese pair Ye Shiwen and Sun Yang are aiming to tale over Phelps’ mantle.
The eight-day swimming section runs from July 28-August 4, but China’s divers are in action from Saturday, hoping to repeat the 10 gold medals they achieved from 10 diving events at the 2011 world championships on home turf in Shanghai.
China finished with six of the eight gold diving medals on offer at London last year, as reigning world champion Qiu Bo’s failed to add 10m platform Olympic gold to his world title despite dominating the 2011 Diving Series.
But the 20-year-old has a new dive planned for Barcelona.