Wu Minxia poses with her gold medal after winning the women's 3m springboard final at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Photo: Reuters
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https://scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1998147/pursuit-perfection-chinese-diving-star-wu-minxia-eyes-olympics Other Sport
In pursuit of perfection: Chinese diving star Wu Minxia eyes Olympics Games record in Rio de Janeiro
The six-time medallist will compte in the synchronised 3m springboard event with Shi Tingmao at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre
Chinese diver Wu Minxia arrives at the airport in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: Xinhua
Wu Minxia will have no room for error as she pursues a record seventh Olympic Games diving medal in Rio de Janeiro, one she hopes will be part of a Chinese sweep of gold.
“I am looking forward to perfection on my competition day,” Wu, whose six Olympic medals include four gold, said.
She and her teammates are touted as a threat to grab all eight diving golds on offer at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre.
The closest they’ve come to such a sweep was in front of home fans in Beijing in 2008, when they won seven diving events. They won six in Athens in 2004 and again in London four years ago.
Wu claimed two of those London golds, in the 3m springboard and in the synchronised 3m springboard with He Zi.
This time around, the 30-year-old will compete only in the synchronised event with Shi Tingmao, so she’ll have just one chance to surpass the record of six diving medals amassed by her “big sister” and former teammate Guo Jingjing – a mark Wu equalled in 2012.
Despite the strength of the Chinese team, Wu said the outdoor diving venue could make for unexpected challenges.
“I know I may encounter difficult situations here, including the cold conditions. But I have to accept the difficulties and try to cope with them well,” said Wu, who will be competing in her fourth Olympics.
Shi Tingmao and Wu Minxia compete in July 2015. Photo: AP
The prospects are good, as she and Shi are two-time world champions in the synchro springboard.
The Chinese swept all four women’s events in London, but American David Boudia denied Qiu Bo in the men’s 10m platform and Russian Ilya Zakharov snatched the springboard gold over Qin Kai.
Boudia is aiming to become the first US man since Greg Louganis in 1984 and 1988 to win back-to-back Olympic platform golds while Qiu, who has won the 10m title at the last three world championships, is after the Olympic title that has eluded him.