China’s Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi won gold in the women’s synchronised 10-metre platform event on Wednesday, extending the country’s winning streak in diving.
The pair established its lead in the first round and finished with 359.10 points.
North Korea’s Jo Jin Mi and Kim Mi Rae took silver and Britain’s Andrea Spendolini Sirieix and Lois Toulson ended up with bronze.
Quan and Chen, both second-time Olympians, won the synchronised gold medal for the first time as a pair.
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Their victory came as little surprise given 17-year-old Quan and 18-year-old Chen have won nine world titles since teaming up in 2022.
The pair dominated Wednesday’s event from the beginning, taking a nearly 15-point lead in the first two dives.
It was in the last three dives when their skills were really exemplified, with the routines involving more difficult somersaults and twists.
They performed with control and ease, making clean entries which almost seemed effortless.
North Korea’s 19-year-old Jo and 23-year-old Kim were little known before 2024. The pair, which took second place in the Doha World Championships in February, performed its last three dives with stability and composure and climbed to second place.
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Canada’s Caeli McKay and Kate Miller, who were ranked third before the last round, lost their place on the podium after their last dive went out of sync.
Quan became China’s overnight sensation at the age of 14 when she won gold in the individual 10-metre platform event three years ago at the Tokyo Games.
Chen, who took the silver behind Quan, won the synchronised event four years ago with then partner Zhang Jiaqi.
Quan and Chen walked onto the top of the podium to loud cheers and chanting from Chinese spectators who were waving dozens of the country’s flags.
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