YOG BA 2018: Lin gives China first diving title

Lin Shan, from China, won the first event of the Diving competition at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, by imposing her superiority in the final of the women’s 10m platform. Already first after the morning preliminaries, Lin (17 years old) finished the four-dive final with 466.50 points, well ahead of Ukraine’s Sofiia Lyskun (silver in 406.10) and of Mexico’s Gabriela Agundes Garcia (bronze in 405.55). 

The afternoon session didn’t start on a perfect way for Lin. In her first combination, a forward 3 ½ somersaults (pike), she over-rotated and could not have marks higher that 7.0. She still kept the first place, but was severely approached by Agundes Garcia, who performed the same dive on a much more successful way. Lyskun, third after the preliminaries, performed a more difficult dive (DD 3.2) and did it well, getting the best mark of this initial round.

Came round 2, and the Ukrainian diver performed a forward 3 ½ somersaults (pike) too “short”, with Agundes Garcia having the same problem (lack of rotation) with her inward 3 ½ somersaults (tuck). Meanwhile, Lin was successful in the same dive (78.40 points, against 43.20 for the Mexican) and definitively consolidated (by a difference of 22 points) the lead of the competition. Kimberly Bong, from Malaysia, also performed a very solid forward 3 ½ somersaults (pike), getting 76.50, thus ascending to the provisional second place of the final.

Lin did not shake in the third round, presenting a beautiful reverse 2 ½ somersaults (pike), earning 72.00 points – the victory was almost certain, as she was leading by a comfortable 43 points-advantage. This regular performance from the Chinese diver was accompanied by less-secure executions from her main challengers – Bong and Agundes Garcia over-rotated, while Lyskun was clearly too “short”.

Entering into the final round, the main question mark was the final owner of the silver (and bronze) medal, with Bong (second) and Lyskun (third) separated by only 3 points. In this “war of nerves”, the Malaysian diver was weaker than her opponents, lacking rotation in her back 2 ½ somersaults (pike) and not exceeding 4.5 from the judges. The illusion of silver vanished then, and this poor performance would even cost the medal to Bong.

From Lyskun’s side, her reverse 2 ½ somersaults (tuck) was quite solid, while Mexican Agundes Garcia performed a “long” back 2 ½ somersaults 1 ½ twists (pike). The silver was definitively for the European diver, while Agundes Garcia had to content with bronze. Lin Shan concluded the final with a superb combination (the same as the Mexican talent) and was the happy winner of the gold medal.

Lin Shan participated in the 2018 edition of the FINA Diving World Series, earning medals in all 10m synchro events at the four legs of the circuit. Concerning Lyskun (16 years old), she also took part in FINA diving events this year (World Series and Grand), but was also present at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest (HUN).