China’s Lin dives to third gold

Chinese diver Lin Shan is leaving the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games as a triple gold medallist after topping the mixed team event with Colombia’s Daniel Restrepo Garcia on Wednesday.

The powerful duo already had three gold medals between when they were paired together in the mixed international team contest for the final diving medals at the Natatorium.

Despite their credentials, the team got off to a shaky start when their first-round dives put them in ninth position, while Lian Junjie (CHN) and Elena Wassen (GER) took first place.

“It was good to be able to team up with delegations and other countries and be able to share this moment together,” Lian said.

The fact that the German-Chinese duo did not have a lingua franca did not faze them, each athlete instead focusing on the other diver’s strengths.

“We didn’t communicate through language, but through hugging and other means,” Lian said.

“I let my partner choose three dives that she liked and I chose the remaining three.”

In the mixed team event, each athlete had to complete three dives for a total of six dives per team. Three were performed from the 10m platform, and three from the 3m springboard, and each competitor had to perform at least one dive on the springboard and platform.

For Lian, who won silver in the men’s 10m platform, Wednesday’s event was another opportunity to relish the sport he loves.

“The moment I dive into the water, and the moment I jump, is the most perfect moment,” the 17-year-old said.

Lin/Restrepo Garcia overtook Lian/Wassen in the second round after the Chinese-Colombian pair impressed spectators and judges.

Bronze went to Sofiia Lyskun (UKR) and Ruslan Ternovoi (RUS), which was Ternvoi’s third bronze after he finished third in both individual men’s events.

Lyskun won silver behind Lin in the women’s 10m platform.

“I’m very proud of this medal and the fact that we could compete together,” said Lyskun, 16.

“We’re lucky to have been in the same team.”