World Aquatics Championships Doha 2024: Wang Zongyuan defends men's 3m springboard diving world title
The Chinese sealed gold with a magnificent final dive worth over 100 points, ahead of Olympic champion Xie Siyi in silver, and Mexico's Osmar Olvera in bronze.
Wang Zongyuan delivered a precision performance to retain his men's 3m springboard diving world title at the World Aquatics Championships Doha 2024 on Wednesday (7 February).
The People's Republic of China athlete raced out of the blocks with a leaderboard-topping score of 88.40 in the first round, keeping him just ahead of his compatriot and reigning Olympic champion, Xie Siyi, in second.
Xie, still returing to his best form after a two-year break from the sport, lost ground on his second attempt, but still recorded an 82.50.
Staying in touch with the Chinese pair was last year's runner up, Osmar Olvera, who earlier this week sealed the men's 1m springboard title.
The 19-year-old Mexican sat third overall at the halfway mark, ahead of Colombia's Luis Felipe Uribe in fourth, who rebounded from a disappointing 69.70 in round two with an 81.90 in round three.
Wang continued to assert his dominance with a magnificent third round jump worth 93.6, that drew a huge cheer from the Hamad Aquatic Complex crowd.
But Olvera was up for the fight, and delivered scores of 93.10 and 91.65 in rounds five and six respectively to take the temporary lead and ensure that this competition would go right down to the wire.
Wang then showed nerves of steel to execute the dive of the day on his final effort - an astounding forward 4.5 somersaults in tuck position worth 100.70 - to secure the gold medal with an overall score of 538.70.
Xie finished with silver on 516.10, while Olvera settled for bronze with 498.40.
Victory gives Wang Zongyuan confidence ahead of Paris 2024
Wang, who finished second in the preliminaries and semi-final after making some uncharacteristic mistakes, said this after:
"After the semi finals, the coaches gave me encouragement to believe in myself and pay attention to my opponents. In the final, I gave my all. I think I did a lot better than the heats and the semis!
"Honestly, of all my dives in the synchro, individual heats and semis, this was the most perfect (performance) here in Doha. The last two gold medals, I think I was completely focused on diving without too many challenges. But here in Doha, I had a new challenger from Mexico (Osmar Olvera) and the comeback of Xie Siyi, which both gave me pressure and something to think about.
"I actually feel that it made me change my mentality. In the Olympic Games, the pressure will be even stronger. Those words (Olympic Games) will make me think even more and give more pressure. So having experienced this at the World Championships and overcome it, I believe I can perform even better at the Olympics and gives me more confidence."
Olvera, who secured his second medal at Doha 2024 following his men's 1m springboard victory, told this to Olympics.com after:
"I'm really happy, honestly, with my results - being champion in 1m and a bronze medal in the 3m, I've once again shown that I'm among the best.
"It makes me very happy but obviously I want more. In Paris, you'll see the best of me, the best of Osmar. I'll work to be there as prepared as I can, stronger, and much more mentally prepared. I've only just begun and I'm still very young, I'm still only 19. They say the sky is the limit."