China’s Huo Liang added his second gold medal in the men’s 10m platform (541.55), after being also successful in Sheffield. With perfect execution and entries in the water he got several 10s from the judges, namely in the forward 3 ½ somersault pike (107b) and reverse 3 ½ somersault tuck (307C). This final gave two medals for Latin America: silver for Jose Guerra of Cuba, with 505.05 points and bronze for Rommel Pacheco of Mexico with 496.70 points. In the semi-final, the Olympic champion Matthew Mitcham (AUS) had been third of Group A, thus missing the decisive phase of the competition.


Yulia Pakhalina & Anastasia Pozdnyakova (RUS) (Photo credit : Mexsport)

In the women's 3m springboard, He Zi (CHN) was the gold medallist with 357.90 points. She was also the winner in Sheffield and conquered two silver medals in China and Qatar. In Mexico, Russia’s Yulia Pakhalina conquered the silver medal with 344.05 and the bronze went to Kelci Bryant (USA), with 311.10. Until now, this event was the only one giving a gold medal to a non-Chinese diver throughout the series, with the title going to Sharleen Stratton (AUS) in Changzhou.

In Mexico, the Asian delegation lost its second medal of the circuit, in the men’s 3m springboard synchro, due to the absence of their winning pair Qin Kai/Zhang Xinhua. Ben Swain and Nicholas Robinson-Baker (GBR) took the best possible profit of this absence and won the gold medal with 418.65 points. The British duet was bronze medallist in this event in Sheffield and Qatar. Second place went to Christopher Colwill and Jevon Tarantino, from the USA (397.50), and bronze medal for Yahel Castillo and Luis Huerta of Mexico, with 386.46 points.

Xin Li and Wang Han were the winners once again in the women’s synchronised 10m platform with 330.18 points, leaving the silver to Briony Cole and Melissa Wu of Australia (321.90) and third place to Roseline Filion and Meaghan Benfeito of Canada with 315.99.


Yahel Castillo (MEX) (Photo credit : Mexsport)

The 2009 FINA Diving World Series was a very positive campaign for Mexico, with a total of eight medals in the four meets: one silver and seven bronze to Paola Espinosa, Laura Sanchez, Rommel Pacheco, Yahel Castillo and Luis Huerta.

The last leg of the circuit in Mexico City was attended by 41 divers from nine countries.