BEIJING — Guo Jingjing of China won the 3-meter springboard title Sunday at the Olympics, becoming the most decorated female diver with her sixth career medal.
Guo totaled 415.35 points to defend her title from four years ago in Athens and make China 5-for-5 in diving at these games. Guo and partner Wu Minxia teamed to win the women’s 3-meter synchronized title last weekend.
Having another gold medal around her neck made Guo back away from the retirement talk that swirled around her before the games.
“I like the feeling when I stand on the springboard,” she said through a translator. “I just can’t give it up.”
Guo surpassed countrywoman Fu Mingxia, who won five medals during her Olympic career. Guo teamed with Fu to finish second on synchronized springboard at the 2000 Sydney Games, then Guo and Wu won the title in Athens. Guo was the silver medalist on individual springboard in Sydney.
“I’ve done everything I’ve wanted to in my career,” she said. “There’s nothing left to do.”
But she’s still not sure she wants to step away.
“I haven’t thought of retirement yet because I love diving,” Guo said. “If possible, I will continue diving.”
That could be discouraging news to her rivals.
Julia Pakhalina of Russia, the bronze medalist in Athens, moved up to the silver at 398.60.
“I would have preferred gold, but I’m happy,” she said.
Wu earned the bronze this time with 389.85 after being the runner-up four years ago.
Another medals shutout looms for the Americans, who have only three more events to avoid going home empty-handed for the second consecutive Olympics.
Nancilea Foster and Christina Loukas were eighth and ninth, keeping the U.S. without a medal in women’s springboard since the 1988 Seoul Games.
Foster never got higher than seventh during the five-round final, while Loukas rose as high as fifth before falling.
“I gave it everything I had,” Foster said. “It didn’t happen quite the way I would have liked it to, but I have no regrets. The journey is more important than the destination. That’s true whether you win a gold medal or you get eighth place.”
Both Americans badly missed their fourth dives, with neither scoring more than 45 points.
“I don’t want to think about that one dive to ruin my whole trip here,” Loukas said. “I love the Olympics. It’s just been awesome. It makes you want to train that much harder to make it here in four years.”
Guo’s title extended China’s dominance on women’s springboard, an event the Chinese have won for six consecutive Olympics. She joined Fu and Gao Min as two-time winners from China.
“It’s a memorable moment in my career,” Guo said. “I’ve been waiting four years for another gold. It doesn’t appear to the eye, but I’ve had ups and downs. But despite what I did in the past, I made it today.”
Only once was Guo outscored in the final. Her fourth dive earned 76.50 points, a total that was bettered by Wu and Pakhalina. Otherwise, Guo consistently scored in the 80s.
“She’s an amazing athlete,” Foster said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
