Platform, Women

The favorites were the Chinese duo of Xu Yanmei, 1987 World Cup champion, and Chen Xiaodan, who had won the McDonald’s Meet in May 1988. Soviet Yelena Miroshina was also highly considered, having set the world’s highest platform score of 508.65 when she was only 12-years-old. But Chen and Miroshina were only 14-years-old in Seoul and would finish fifth and sixth, respectively. Coming into the final dive Yu led American Michele Mitchell, the 1984 silver medalist, by only 0.27 points. Xu did a back 2½ pike with DD of 2.9, scoring four 8s and a 7.5, while Mitchell just missed with a forward 3½ tuck, DD = 2.7, scoring all 7.5s and having to settle for another silver medal, as Xu won the gold.

The bronze medal looked to be Chen’s coming into the final dive. She had a 16.47 lead over Soviet Anzhela Stasyulevich, with American Wendy Lian Williams fifth, over 28 points behind. But Chen went way over on a back 3½ tuck, scoring only 2s and 3s, giving the bronze medal to Williams, who received all 8s on an inward 2½ pike on her final effort. Williams would win another bronze at the 1991 World Championships but never made another Olympic team.