In a nail-biting finale at the Chinese mainland National Diving Championships in Wuhan, 25-year-old Chen Yiwen clinched the women's 3m springboard gold, amassing a total of 392.70 points to outshine 20-year-old rival Chen Jia.
The showdown kicked off with both divers delivering identical opening dives, each scoring 76.50—a perfect prelude to the seesaw battle ahead.
Chen Jia took a daring approach in round two, opting for a higher degree of difficulty and edging ahead by 2.55 points, but the tension hit a new peak when round three brought another tie at 76.05 apiece.
Everything turned in Chen Yiwen's favor on the fourth dive. While Chen Jia stumbled with a 72-point effort, Chen Yiwen remained unflappable, landing an 83.70—her best dive and the day's top mark.
Drawing confidence from her near-flawless performance, the Paris Olympics gold medalist closed out the fifth dive with precision, sealing her victory and sparking celebrations among spectators.
Beyond the medals, this showdown highlights the mental toughness and technical mastery that fuel diving's growing global appeal, inspiring the next generation of athletes from Wuhan to the world.
Reference(s):
Chen wins women's 3m springboard gold at National Diving Championships
cgtn.com
