Olympics | Day 3: Chinese divers shine, Japan rally to win men's gymnastics team gold

Lian Junjie/Yang Hao of China compete during the men's synchronized 10m platform final of diving at the Paris Olympics on July 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Chinese diving "Dream Team" clinched the second gold at the Paris Olympics, while Japan rallied to seize their eighth Olympic title in the men's gymnastics team event.

PARIS, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Lian Junjie and Yang Hao triumphed in the men's synchronized 10m platform to gift China the second diving gold at Paris 2024, while Japan came back to win their eighth Olympic title in the men's gymnastics team event on Monday.

The Chinese diving "Dream Team" has been en route to their goal of a golden sweep at the Olympics. Three years ago in Tokyo, Chinese divers bagged seven of eight golds, only missing out on the men's synchronized 10m platform, which was won by Britain's Tom Daley and Matty Lee.

This time, the Chinese duo lived up to expectations by scoring a total of 490.35 points from six rounds in the final, 26.91 ahead of runners-up Daley and his new partner Noah Williams.

"We felt a lot of pressure as our arch-rivals from Britain were drawn to dive just ahead of us. They performed very well during the final. We are thrilled to grab the gold," said 23-year-old Lian, who jumped onto the top podium with Yang during the medal ceremony.

Five-time Olympian Daley noted, "Before we started the competition, I felt like I had achieved what I wanted to. When I look back at my career, I can say I have done what I can to be the best diver I can possibly be."

Sheng Lihao of China reacts during the 10m air rifle men's final of shooting at the Paris Olympics on July 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe)

At the Chateauroux Shooting Center, world record holder Sheng Lihao of China set an Olympic record with a score of 252.2 points in the men's 10m air rifle competition to clinch his second gold medal at Paris 2024, followed by Victor Lindgren of Sweden and Croatia's Miran Maricic.

"I'm quite satisfied with my performance at the Paris Olympics. As you could see, I encountered some difficulties during the competitions, but I managed to hold myself together and complete them," said Sheng, the silver medalist in the event at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 19-year-old Sheng paired with teammate Huang Yuting, 17, to win the 10m air rifle mixed team event on Saturday. While in the women's 10m air rifle on Monday, Huang was just 0.1 points shy of South Korean Ban Hyo-jin to take the silver.

Kazuma Kaya of Japan reacts after the rings of the men's gymnastics team final at the Paris Olympics on July 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

In the men's gymnastics team event, Japan trailed by 3.267 points going into the horizontal bar prior to China's Su Weide's two falls in his routine. Zhang Boheng of China scored 14.733, falling short of the 15.265 that was needed to catch up in the title contest.

Japan dominated the men's gymnastics team in the 1960s and 1970s, and won the team gold at Rio 2016 followed by a silver in Tokyo. At the Paris Olympics, they collected a total of 259.594 points, 0.532 ahead of China who had to settle for silver.

"We made new history. I am happy to say that we made it," Japan's Daiki Hashimoto said after the competition. "It is a medal that drove us to new heights and brought out feelings I never had, very different from winning as an individual."

Mollie O'Callaghan (4th R) of Australia competes during the women's 200m freestyle final of swimming at the Paris Olympics on July 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)

The five swimming golds on Monday were claimed by five different teams. Australian swimmers registered a 1-2 finish in the women's 200m freestyle final, as Mollie O'Callaghan finished in an Olympic record time of one minute, 53.27 seconds, more than half a second faster than her compatriot and defending champion Ariarne Titmus. Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, China, seized bronze.

Thomas Ceccon secured Italy's second swimming gold medal at the Paris Olympics by winning the men's 100m backstroke final, more than three tenths of a second faster than second-placed Xu Jiayu of China.

South Africa's Tatjana Smith made a late surge to crown in the women's 100m breaststroke, overtaking runner-up Tang Qianting of China in the final stretch.

Canada's Summer McIntosh blitzed her rivals to finish first in the women's 400m individual medley final, and Romania's David Popovici pocketed his first Olympic gold medal by winning the men's 200m freestyle title.

Rafael Nadal of Spain greets spectators after the men's singles second round match of tennis against Novak Djokovic of Serbia at the Paris Olympics on July 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Amid loud cheers from the crowd at Roland Garros, Spain's tennis legend Rafael Nadal, 38, bid adieu to the Paris Olympics after losing 6-1, 6-4 to his old rival and top seed Novak Djokovic in the men's singles second round.

"I feel very well supported and loved at the most important place [Roland Garros] of my career," said Nadal, who has won 14 French Open titles. "I was not able to put him [Djokovic] in difficult positions, and he played quite well. I just try my best every single day and enjoy what I have been enjoying for so much time."

Also on Monday, Britain's Tom Pidcock overcame a puncture to retain his Olympic title in the men's mountain bike cross-country, while China's women's volleyball team narrowly defeated defending champions the United States 3-2 in a thrilling group stage match.

Japan now lead the medal tally with six gold medals, followed by hosts France and China, both with five golds.