Artistic Swimming | Team Free

Image Source: Hao Chang, Ciyue Wang, Wentao Cheng, Binxuan Xiang, Yu Feng, Yanning Xiao, Xiuchen Li and Yayi Zhang of Team China compete in the Mixed Team Free prelims at the World Aquatics Championships -Doha 2024. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Will it be a sixth gold medal and clean sweep of the team events for the People’s Republic of China, or will Japan, Ukraine, Spain or the United States of America be able to win their first gold medal of Doha 2024.

Teams to Watch:

People’s Republic of China (CHN):  Prior to Budapest 2022 the People’s Republic of China had won just one gold medal in Artistic Swimming across the eighteen editions of the World Aquatics Championships. Gold medal hauls of four in Budapest, three at Fukuoka 2023, and now five at Doha 2024 has since moved China to third on the all-time medal table. A gold tonight for their highly fancied routine in the Team Free will elevate the nation to second (leapfrogging the United States of America).

Japan (JPN):  It has been a quiet World Aquatics Championships for the team from Japan who across all disciplines have won just one bronze medal. In this afternoon’s Team Free final expect the Japanese to double their Doha 2024 medal count with a team that includes 16 year-old superstar Moe Higa and Fukuoka 2023 Mixed Duet Technical gold medallist Tomoka Sato.

Previous Championships:

  • 2023:  Gold – China (CHN), Silver – Japan (JPN), Bronze – Ukraine (UKR)

 

Diving | Women 3m Springboard

Image Source: Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen at a team medal portrait at the World Aquatics Championships - Fukuoka 2023 (Tsutomu Kishimoto/World Aquatics)

After Great Britain and Australia won the first two diving medals of Doha 2024, it has been a Chinese express with the People’s Republic of China winning seven of the next eight Doha golds.


Athletes to Watch:

Chen Yiwen (CHN): A now six-time world champion, Chen Yiwen from the People’s Republic of China will be diving for her third successive gold medal in the Women’s 3m Springboard. The 24 year-old won gold in the Women’s 1m Springboard at Gwangju 2019 and then completed the 3m Springboard and 3m Synchronised double at both Budapest 2022 and Fukuoka 2023. Another gold this evening would make Chen the fourth most successful female diver of all time, moving ahead of fellow Chinese divers Chen Ruolin and Chen Yuxi.

Chang Yani (CHN):  Chang Yani dived to gold in the Women’s 3m Synchronised event here in Doha alongside Chen Yiwen. That win was the pairs third successive gold medal in that even, with Chang also taking the gold back at Budapest 2017. The one thing that has eluded Chang in her international diving career however is an individual World Aquatics Championships gold medal. While Suji Kim (KOR) and Maddison Keeney (AUS) were impressive in the semi finals it is hard to go against the Chinese pair for the gold and silver medals given the nation’s dominance at the Hamad Aquatic Centre this week.

Previous Championships:

  • 2023:  Gold – Chen Yiwen (CHN), Silver – Chang Yani (CHN), Bronze – Pamela Ware (CAN)
  • 2022:  Gold – Chen Yiwen (CHN), Silver – Mia Vallee (CAN), Bronze – Chang Yani (CHN)