Springboard, Women

Guo Jingjing had won silver in this event in Sydney and had won the 2001 and 2003 World Championships. Her biggest challenge was expected to come from Russian Yuliya Pakhalina, the 2004 World Cup champ and runner-up to her at 2003 Worlds. Pakhalina led the qualifying and semis, but Guo took the lead on her second dive in the finals, a reverse 2½ pike position, and comfortably held on for the gold medal. Her teammate Wu Minxia also moved ahead of Pakhalina in the final round to garner silver, with Pakhalina dropping to bronze.

Guo would come back in 2008 and defend this title. She and Wu had already won synchro springboard gold in Athens and would also defend that gold in Beijing. Pakhalina had likewise won a medal in 2004 in synchro, a silver with Vera Ilyina, and at Beijing, she would add two more silvers, on springboard and synchro springboard. This was the fifth consecutive Chinese gold in this event and Guo would make it six in 2008. Of China’s six gold medals, they were won by only three divers – Gao Min (1988-92), Fu Mingxia (1996-2000), and Guo (2004-08). Guo was just as dominant at the Worlds, winning that title five consecutive times – 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009.