 |
Double Diving Titlist Targets 2004 Olympics
China's Wang Tianling, who pulled off a brilliant golden double in the Universiade diving pool, said he hopes to win an Olympic crown at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
"I want to go to the Athens Olympics, and I don't think age is a problem," said 24-year-old Wang, who won the men's 3m springboard Saturday after his victory in the 1m springboard Thursday.
"I believe that so far as one has the ability, one can go to the Olympics, no matter he's old or young," he said after the triumph.
Wang, double silver medalist at the World Championships in Fukuoka last month, said he will strive for gold at the National Games in October. "An athlete always wants to be the champion. I want to win not only at the National Games, but also at Olympics," he said.
The native of Shanghai attributed his success to "good luck". " I didn't do particularly well today. I just didn't make big mistakes," Wang said. "I always try my best in a competition, whether my rivals are strong or weak," he said.
Mexican Fernando Platas, who finished second in Saturday's contest, the fourth of the ten-event diving program, said he was happy with a silver.
"Today's event was a close contest. Other competitors are also very good. I'm happy to get a silver," said a smiling Platas.
The 28-year-old veteran diver said he will continue diving until after the 2004 Olympics. "I hope to improve (my skills) every year. I see myself going to the Athens Olympics," said Platas, who was silver medalist at both Sydney Olympics and Fukuoka world championships.
The coach of Ken Terauchi, who won a bronze for Japan in the men's 3m springboard, said Terauchi didn't achieve this easily.
"He suffered serious knee injuries and I had been thinking of pulling him out of today's contest," said Su Wei, a former Chinese diver who is a Japanese citizen now. "But he said he should try anyway. It's really hard for him," he said.
Terauchi, who came fifth at the Sydney Olympics and third at the Fukuoka world championships, clinched the medal at the eleventh hour with his sixth and last dive in the final. He collected a day-high score of 89.25 points for the dive, securing a bronze medal.
China had been enjoying a golden bash in the diving pool, snatching four gold medals and three silvers in four events out of ten.
Monday sees the women's 3m springboard, which looks likely to give China their fifth diving title. Guo Jingjing and Li Rongjuan, gold and silver medalist in the 1m springboard Thursday, are going into it as the hot favorites.
In This Section
|