16th FINA World Championships

July 24 - August 9, 2015

HAN WANG AND HAO YANG SECURE MIXED SYNCHRO 3M SPRINGBOARD GOLD

02.08.2015, 16:10 The mixed duets that clearly became the highlight of the 16th FINA World SPORT Championships competed today in the synchronised 3m springboard event at the Aquatics Palace in Kazan.

13 mixed pairs participated in today’s final. The encounter was particularly important for the girls as part of them had already become favourites in individual events the day before.

Those who witnessed a thrilling final in the women’s 3m springboard event yesterday already knew that gold and silver went to the athletes from China, whereas bronze was claimed by legendary of Italy. Today she was paired with Maicol Verzotto. It was interesting to see how Aussie managed to get over her yesterday’s failed dive which had made her take another attempt in her second dive. Canadian Jennifer Abel who also took part in the mixed event today was even more motivated, as her mistake had relegated her to the sixth place and secured a medal for Italy’s Cagnotto.

All in all, it was predictable that the final placings of the Kazan leg of the FINA World Series would repeat themselves at the World Championships in Kazan: China, Canada, and Italy. However, based on the experience of the Championships in Kazan, the second half of the medal event was likely to hold unexpected surprises for all fans of aquatic sports.

Every single mixed duet started unbelievably strong. The Russian duet that performed after the Chinese team earned 51 points which provided them with a chance to aim for a medal. The Mexican duet got the same result after the first dive. The Italian duet decided to make a breakthrough and set the new top provisional score with 52.20. The second place this time belonged to China, Mexico and Russia. Hao Yang and Han Wang nailed their next dive which put them only 0.60 short of the leading position. Keeping in mind the strong and determined dives from the Mexican duet in the third round, Ilia Molchanov and Maria Polyakova had to compose themselves to put up a fight for bronze. As for Italy which was diving second to last, Tania Cagnotto and Maicol Verzotto were forced to hold off a strong challenge coming from China. After the third round, the first three positions belonged to China, Italy and Australia. By the beginning of the last round, the leaders remained unchangeable. Since China and Australia have already shown their best, the final standings were to be settled only after Italy’s last dive. Canada’s appearance on the second place of the podium became quite unexpected but it was all due to the duet’s hard work in every single round. In the end Italy grabbed bronze while China snatched yet another gold.

FINA Worlds 2015. Diving.

Mixed. Synchronised 3m springboard

1. / (CHN) – 339.90

2. Jennifer ABEL / Francois IMBEAU-DULAC (CAN) – 317.01

3. Tania CAGNOTTO / Maicol VERZOTTO (ITA) – 315,30

Aquatics Palace. August 2

Press Office of Organising Committee for 16th FINA World Championships

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