DGP 2009: China continues to dominate as the third Grand Prix stage wraps up in Moscow

From other nations, it was just two Russian divers – Alexander Dobroskok and Yulia Koltunova – winning multiple awards. Dobroskok took the men’s springboard title as well as silver for the springboard synchro, while Koltunova earned silver for her performances in both platform competitions.

Melanie Rinaldi (CAN)

Competition overview, event-by-event:

Day 1 (March 5, 2009)

Men’s 3m springboard synchronised: This event was a clean win for the Chinese pairing of Minghong Wu and Shixin Li, who finished with a score of 421.77 after four strong opening dives and a progressively difficult programme. The pair averaged marks of 8.5 and only faltered on their concluding effort, but it did not harm their leading position. Trailing them, Russia’s Alexander Dobroskok and Evgeny Kuznetsov presented a solid sequence of dives, especially considering the high Degree of Difficulty (DD) of their selection. Their silver was warranted, and they finished well-ahead of the bronze winners, Luis Huerta and Carlos Moreno (MEX).

Day 2 (March 6, 2009)

Women's 3m springboard synchronised: In this event there was no competition for Lin Qu and Jun Dong, who won with a score of 327.30, far ahead of Russia’s Nadezhda Bazhina and Maria Smirnova, the silver medallists in 289.62. Dominant from the opening dive, the Chinese highlighted their routine with a nice back 2 ½ somersault pike, which gave them 9.0s or higher almost across the board. Despite being outclassed, the Russian runners-up - Nadezhda Bazhina and Maria Smirnova – gave a respectable performance that earned them plenty of marks in the 8.0 range. A valiant effort was also generated by the Mexican bronze medal winners - Vianey Hernandez/Celia Santillan – although the significantly lower DD of their programme prevented them from threatening the leaders in any case.

Day 3 (March 7, 2009)

Women's 10m platform: Ni Chen (CHN) won this event decisively with a score of 340.35, earned from the fine execution of a routine that was of a significantly higher DD than those of her opponents. Chen’s only weak point came in her second dive, for which she earned mostly 4.5s and temporarily lost the lead, but she recovered quickly and was soon beyond reach. Behind her, a battle raged for second. Yulia Koltunova (RUS) would prevail with a final score of 301.30, but only just ahead of Lindan Deng (CHN) who finished with 297.40. It was Koltunova’s excellent opening effort, reinforced by a good second last dive – a back 2 ½ somersault 1 ½ twists pike (DD3.4) – that ensured she was the silver medallist.

Men’s 3m springboard: This event was an opportunity for Alexander Dobroskok (RUS) to shine before a home audience, and he did not disappoint by winning with 499.45. His performance was steadily authoritative, and he nailed his final, and most difficult dive, a back 2 ½ somersault 1 ½ twists pike (DD3.5) to receive marks between 8.5 to 10.0 and a total of 92.75, the highest of the entire final. Behind him Shixin Li (CHN) dove well to earn 475.10, but lacked the sparkle to take gold. In third was Javier Garcia Illana and a nice podium finish for Spain at this Grand Prix.

Women's 10m platform synchronised: Two strong opening dives that could not be matched gave the lead in this event to the eventual winners – China’s Ni Chen and Lindan Deng who finished with 324.06. Their win was solidified with a sturdy final dive – the highest scoring attempt of the whole final - that gave them another 80.58 points and removed any chance that the Russian duo trailing them - Natalia Goncharova and Yulia Koltunova – could catch up. Goncharova and Koltunova secured silver in 305.22, far beyond the bronze medal winners Yulia Prokopchuk and Alina Chaplenko (UKR).

Yulia Prokopchuk and Alina Chaplenko (UKR)

Day 4 (March 8, 2009)

Men's 10m platform: This event brought another individual victory to the host nation, as Aleksey Kravchenko (RUS) put forth a magnificent programme to win in 501.20. Kravchenko maintained great composure as he executed his routine, and consequently averaged marks of 8.5 and 9.0. His final dive – a back 2 ½ somersault 2 ½ twists pike (DD 3.8) for which he earned 98.80 - was a fine finale. Taking silver behind him was Yang Xiang (CHN) in 475.20, who also dove well but faltered on his third dive, while bronze went to Anton Zakharov (UKR) with 468.10.

Women's 3m springboard: Competition between China’s Lin Qu and Jun Dong, who took the gold and silver respectively with scores of 356.10 and 344.40, was quite close in this final. A weak third dive from Dong combined with a strong final effort from Qu contributed to the final standing. The DD of both routines was equal and both divers competed well, but Qu was the strongest in the end. Canada earned a medal from this event with Melanie Rinaldi clinching bronze in 283.40.

Men's 10m platform synchronised: China’s divers finished the Moscow Grand Prix the same way they started – by winning. This time it was Yang Xiang paired with Huian Su to clinch gold, but not by any significant margin. Xiang and Su won with 447.75, while the silver medallists from Russia - Konstantin Khanbekov and Oleg Vikulov – finished with 436.92. The two pairs were essentially equal after three dives, and after four dives the gold was still within the Russians reach. But a rock-solid finish from Xiang and Su, namely two great concluding dives including a reverse 3 ½ somersault tuck that generated marks as high as 10.0 – secured them victory. Khanbekov and Vikulov made a decent attempt to steal the lead with a well-executed difficult final effort, but it wasn’t enough. Germany garnered a medal in this event after Christian Picker and Johannes Donay took bronze with 413.91.

Konstantin Khanbekov and Oleg Vikulov (RUS)

Here are the medallists:

Day 1 (March 5, 2009)
Men’s 3m springboard synchronised: 1. Minghong Wu/Shixin Li (CHN) 421.77, 2. Alexander Dobroskok/Evgeny Kuznetsov (RUS) 409.44, 3. Luis Huerta/Carlos Moreno (MEX) 371.85.

Day 2 (March 6, 2009)
Women's 3m springboard synchronised: 1. Lin Qu/Jun Dong (CHN) 327.30, 2. Nadezhda Bazhina/Maria Smirnova (RUS) 289.62, 3. Vianey Hernandez/Celia Santillan (MEX) 253.86.

Day 3 (March 7, 2009)
Women's 10m platform: 1. Ni Chen (CHN) 340.35, 2. Yulia Koltunova (RUS) 301.30, 3. Lindan Deng (CHN) 297.40.
Men’s 3m springboard: 1. Alexander Dobroskok (RUS) 499.45, 2. Shixin Li (CHN) 475.10, 3. Javier Garcia Illana (ESP) 458.55.
Women's 10m platform synchronised: 1. Ni Chen/Lindan Deng (CHN) 324.06, 2. Natalia Goncharova/Yulia Koltunova (RUS) 305.22, 3. Yulia Prokopchuk/Alina Chaplenko (UKR) 277.02.

Day 4 (March 8, 2009)
Men's 10m platform: 1. Aleksey Kravchenko (RUS) 501.20, 2. Yang Xiang (CHN) 475.20, 3. Anton Zakharov (UKR) 468.10.
Women's 3m springboard: 1. Lin Qu (CHN) 356.10, 2. Jun Dong (CHN) 344.40, 3. Melanie Rinaldi (CAN) 283.40.
Men's 10m platform synchronised: 1. Yang Xiang/Huian Su (CHN) 447.75, 2. Konstantin Khanbekov/Oleg Vikulov (RUS) 436.92, 3. Christian Picker/Johannes Donay (GER) 413.91.