2008.8.12Lin/Huo Win Men's Synchronized 10m Platform

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Chinese divers Lin Yue (left) and Huo Liang score 468.18 points to win the men's 10m synchronized diving gold medal at the Olympic Games on Monday, August 11, 2008.


BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) --Chinese teenager divers Lin Yue and Huo Liang clinched the gold of the men's 10m platform synchronized at the Beijing Olympic Games on Monday.

Lin and Huo, winners in the 2007 Melbourne worlds, led throughout to win the second diving gold for China with 468.18 points.

Patrick Hausding and Sascha Klein of Germany, silver medallist at the 2008 "Good Luck Beijing" World Cup, finished second again in 450.42, while the bronze went to Russian Gelb Galperin and Dmitriy Dobroskok in 445.26.

"I performed to my normal level," said Lin, bronze medalist of the individual platform in 2007 Melbourne worlds. "I think my form is getting better and better, and I'm confident with the latter competition." Lin will also compete in the 10m platform at Water Cube.

Lin and Huo, 17 and 18 respectively, dominated the final since the first round, and they even made a perfect dive in the second round as they scored seven 10 points and two 9.5 points.

The Chinese teenagers were almost unbeatable in the World Series in 2007, and they claimed the gold in the "Good Luck Beijing" World Cup in February this year.

"I am satisfied with our performance," Huo said. "It's our first Olympics, and I can't say I'm not nervous. But my coach told me just to be relaxed and do each dive well."

The Russian pair, silver medallists in 2007 Melbourne worlds, trailed the Chinese duo in the first five round, but they were surpassed by the Germans finally.

Klein, 22, is also a hot favorite in the individual platform at Beijing Olympics, as he beat Chinese Zhou Lvxin to win the gold at 2008 World Cup.

Mathew Helm and Robert Newbery of Australia, bronze medallist in 2004 Athens Olympics, finished the fourth in 444.84.

The Australian duo had retired after the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne but came back last year to participate in their third Olympic Games.

Thomas Daley, 14, the youngest of the divers at Beijing Games, finished the last in 408.48 with his partner Blake Aldridge. It's the 14-year-old's first Olympics, and he is a medal prospect of Britain in London.

It's the powerhouse's second diving gold at Beijing Games, as "diving queen" Guo Jingjing and fellow Wu Minxia took victory in the women's 3m springboard synchronized final on Sunday.

China expects to make a clean sweep in the Water Cube at home soil, and the Chinese divers flexed their muscles by sweeping all eight golds during the last meet of the FINA Diving Grand Prix in Rome earlier on July. Now they have taken the first two gold medals.

China has undisputed domination in diving. The Chinese diving team claimed five golds at 2000 Sydney Olympics and further took a record six at 2004 Athens Olympics, contributing more Olympic golds for China than other Chinese teams