Synchronized Platform, Men

Lin Hue and Huo Liang had won the last three major internationals, the 2006 and 2008 World Cups, and the 2007 World Championships, and diving before Chinese crowds in Beijing, were expected to win easily. They led from the first round, and won easily, helped by a second dive that received seven 10s (of nine) from the judges. Their competition came from the Russian duo of Gleb Galperin and Dmitry Dobroskok, the 2005 World Champions and runners-up in 2007 to Lin and Huo, and Germans Patrick Hausding and Sascha Klein, silver medalists at the 2008 World Cup. Hausding and Klein won the silver, moving ahead of the Russians, who held on for silver, in the fifth round. Galperin and Dobroskok had competed in the event in 2004, placing sixth. Dobroskok’s brother, Aleksandr, had won silver in 2000 synchronized springboard with Dmitry Sautin. Lin and Huo went on to win again at the 2009 World Championship.