Chinese divers keen to win at home worlds
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China Daily, July 14, 2011
Chinese diving stars He Chong and Huo Liang on Tuesday expressed their determination to win the home team gold medals at the coming FINA Swimming World Championships.
In a media event organized by Chinese sportswear maker Li Ning Co in Shanghai, the duo revealed key aspects of their training and said they are poised to continue the glamorous record of China's divers at the event, which will be held from July 16-31.
"I am confident I can defend my championship in the 3m board and I want to present a wonderful performance to all my supporters," said He, one of the leaders of the men's team. He won the 3m springboard at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and followed that up with another gold at the 2009 FINA World Championships.
"This is my 10th year in the 3m springboard. I am very confident, if an athlete loses his confidence, he has also lost the ability to compete," he said.
At this meet, He and Qin Kai will lead the men's team, while veteran diver Wu Minxia and Olympic 10m platform winner Chen Ruolin will spearhead the women's charge. The team of 15 left for Shanghai a week before the World Championships were to begin.
For Huo, a Shanghai local, the hunger for gold is even greater with 20 million of his townsmen watching.
"Everything feels great in my hometown. Being at home gives me some extra confidence I will try hard to get myself a gold medal," said Huo, a gold winner in the 10m platform synchronized event at the Beijing Games.
Though preparation time for this World Championships has been tight, the pair said the Chinese diving team's morale was high and training has been "systematic".
"We have made many adjustments and improvements to our actions. I feel our team's performance in this meet will be good," said He.
Key players on the American diving team, David Boudia, Troy Dumais and Christina Loukas, were also looking forward to the diving competition.
They said a week-long training camp in Shantou, Guangdong province, earlier this month would help their team narrow the gap with their Chinese counterparts.
"We're well prepared for it. We have tremendous respect for the strong Chinese divers, who have been our models," said Boudia, a major contender in the men's 10m platform.
"But we are confident we can challenge them one day. Maybe this championship is the right occasion for doing so in my event," he said.
