Zhu Zifeng (R) and Lin Shan of China pose with their gold medals after winning the mixed 3-meter springboard diving final at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, July 22, 2023. /CFP
Zhu Zifeng and Lin Shan of China won the mixed 3-meter springboard gold medal at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on Saturday.
The Chinese pair's total score was 326.1 points after leading in every one of the five dives. Zhu and Lin were only 1.8 points ahead of Madison Keeney and Domonic Bedggood of Australia after the first dive. Then in the second round, Zhu and Lin finished 301B at the degree of difficulty (DD) of 2.0 with 103.2 points, extending their lead to a much safer 7.8 points.
Zhu Zifeng (L) and Lin Shan of China compete in the mixed 3-meter springboard diving final at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, July 22, 2023. /CFP
Keeney and Bedggood performed well in the third dive, getting 67.5 points at the DD of 3.0. They were 10.5 points behind Zhu and Lin after three rounds, remaining hopeful of coming back with the final efforts. That ceased to be true after the fourth dive, in which the Chinese pair completed 107B at the DD of 3.1 to score 74.4 points. Their lead grew to 17.94 points, which basically sealed the deal.
This was the 12th diving gold won by Chinese athletes at the World Championships this year.
Keeney and Bedggood had the silver medal with 307.38 points. Chiara Pellacani and Matteo Santoro of Italy got the bronze.