PAGE 4 • AUGUST 23, 2011 CHINA DAILY & VOLLEYBALL Duo dives back into partnership OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS REUNITE TO CLAIM GOLD IN THE MEN’S 10M SYNCHRO PLATFORM EVENT

By TANG YUE CHINA DAILY

SHENZHEN — Olympic-win- ning duo Lin Yue and Huo Liang partnered for the fi rst time in two years and won the men’s synchro- nized 10m platform diving yes- terday. “We haven’t dived as a pair for a long time,” Lin said. “We just started DIVING to pair up again a few weeks ago for the Univesiade. But apparently, years of cooperation before helped a lot. We didn’t feel strange at all.” The duo claimed gold in its international debut at the 2006 World Cup, and at the 2008 Bei- jing Olympics. It also won the World Championships titles in 2007 and 2009. Th e Worlds marked their last appearance as partners before the . At last month’s worlds in Shang- hai, Huo teamed with Qiu Bo to Lin Yue and Huo Liang won the men’s 10m platform synchronized diving yesterday. GAO ERQIANG / CHINA DAILY win his third consecutive title at the prestigious tournament. But personally, I enjoy diving with caba took the bronze. Alvarez and Carrie Dragland The Universiade also offers Lin said the coach told them to him. I hope we can be partners In an earlier competition, Chi- were third. men’s and women’s team titles, pair for the Universiade, but he again and defend our title in Lon- na’s and emerged China again proved its div- according to the combined scores hopes it is not the end. don.” victorious in the women’s syn- ing dominance by winning 11 of each team. “I don’t know whether we will Russia’s Victor Minivaev and chronized 3m springboard. out of the 12 Universiade titles, China was followed by Ukraine be partners again aft er the event,” Llya Zhakharvo won silver at the Russia’s Olena Fedorova and while Mexican Paola Espinosa and Russia on the men’s side, and Lin, 20, said. Universiade while ’s Rom- Anna Pysmenska finished sec- triumphed in the women’s 10m by the US and Malaysia in the “We have to listen to the coach. mel Pacheco and Jonathan Ruval- ond, and Americans Bianca platform. women’s rankings. Russians prove too strong for brave Ukrainians

By TANG YUE “Today we tried very hard and the third set tonight, we refocused CHINA DAILY it was really close in the fi rst three in the last part of the game and sets,” said Ukraine captain Oleksiy went on to win.” SHENZHEN — Ukraine lift- Klymar. “But Russia was too strong In the earlier match, Brazil ed its game from its previous for us. defeated Canada 25-20, 25-15, encounter against Russia in the “I’m happy that we made the fi nal 19-25, 25-19 to take the bronze. men’s volleyball group match, but and won the silver medal. Th at is However, the Brazilians said it still failed to seriously challenge already a big achievement for us.” was not the medal they had expect- the Russians in Ukraine’s silver medal was its fi rst ed to win. yesterday’s fi nal. volleyball medal at a Universiade. “We came here for the gold After losing “We are very happy that we won medal. Now we’re leaving with the fi rst two sets the gold medal,” said Yury Pan- the bronze but we are still happy yesterday by chenko, Russia’s head coach. because we learned a lot at the Uni- VOLLEYBALL small margins, “The competition at the Uni- versiade,” said player Luiz Fonteles. Ukraine staged versiade was tough. There were Head coach Roberley Leonaldo a rally to win the third set but too many strong teams but there was agreed. many errors cost it the fourth and only ever going to be one winner. “Actually our target was to make the gold medal. Fortunately it turned out to be us.” the fi nal, but we met a very strong Russia won 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, Russian captain Konstantin Russia in the semifi nals,” he said. GAO ERQIANG / CHINA DAILY 25-14. However, the captain of the Lesik said: “We played against “It was a diffi cult match for us. It Evgeny Sivozhelez of Russia spikes the ball against Ukraine in the runner-up remained upbeat about them in the group match so we was really like a fi nal for us, and Universiade men’s volleyball fi nal last night. the result. knew them well. Although we lost we lost it.”