China won the first two gold medals of the Paris Olympics on Saturday, continuing the county’s dominance in diving while defending its victory in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team event.
China has ruled diving for decades, and three years ago in Tokyo it won seven of eight gold medals. But it’s never pulled off the elusive gold sweep. That’s the goal this time.
It was a perfect start for the team of Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen, as they won the women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard with 337.68 points on five dives. They were followed by Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook of the United States 314.64 points and the British team of Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen with bronze and 302.28 points.
The same Chinese duo also won gold in the last three world championships and were heavy favorites going in.
The crowd, heavy with Chinese fans and and flags, chanted “jiayou” — roughly translated “lets go” — each time the Chinese walked out to dive.
This event was added in 2000, and Chinese women have won gold six times in seven Games. The only loss was to Russia in 2000. China won three years ago in Tokyo with Shi Tingmao and Wang Han.
Starting with the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where China claimed its first diving gold, it had won 47 of 64 gold medals in diving. Add to that 23 silver and 10 bronze.
Earlier, at the Olympic shooting range in the city of Chateauroux, Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao opened up an early four-point lead against South Korea’s Keum Jihyeon and Park Hajun in the head-to-head for the gold medal in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team event and stayed ahead from there to win 16-12.
China also won the event three years ago in Tokyo, when Yang Qian and Yang Haoran took the gold medal as team air rifle shooting made its debut on the Olympic program.
Kazakhstan’s Alexandra Le and Islam Satpayev beat Germany’s Anna Janssen and Maximilian Ulbrich 17-5 for the bronze.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
