China Sweeps 8 Diving Gold Medals at a Single Games

A clean sweep of all eight diving gold medals at a single Games had never been achieved until China competed in Paris. Given the youth, depth, and development pipeline in Chinese diving, all factors suggest that 2024 might not be the last time it happens.

China Re-Set the Bar for Most Olympic Diving Medals in History

 On the first day of diving, the People’s Republic of China tied the United States for the most Olympic gold medals in diving history, with 48, thanks to when Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen’s victory in the women’s 3m synchro final. When the Olympics were over, China had re-set the bar for most Olympic diving golds at 55.

Mexico Nearly Upset China in Men’s 3m Synchro

In the fourth diving event in Paris, Mexico came less than 2.1 points away from snapping China’s monopoly on gold medals in Paris.  Juan Manuel Celaya Hernandez and Osmar Olvera Ibarra were leading the field after the fourth dive (of six), and were still within 1.1 points of China’s Long Daoyi and Wang Zongyuan with one dive to go.  Mexico had saved its hardest dive for last, a forward 2½ with three twists (with 3.9 DD) – a dive that China didn’t dare try. It scored well, but Mexico’s total after six rounds came 2.07 points away from tying China for gold.

China Achieves an Olympic 10-Peat in Women’s 3m Springboard

On the penultimate day of Olympic diving in Paris, Chen Yiwen extended China’s dominance in women’s 3m springboard. Her victory marked a 10-peat for the country, meaning that no other nation had won gold in the event since 1980. It’s impressive, but it’s not the longest Olympic streak in an individual diving event.  The US won men’s 3m gold 11 times in a row, from 1920 to 1968. There’s even a 16-peat by US men in the pole vault (from 1896-1968). 

Historic Firsts for Japan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

 The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea earned its first Olympic diving medal in history when Jo Jin-Mi and Kim Mi-Rae captured silver in women’s 10m synchro early in the Games.  Six days later, Kim earned North Korea’s first individual diving medal at the Games, a bronze in the women’s 10m final.

Seventeen-year-old super-talent Rikuto Tamai gave Japan its first Olympic diving medal in history, a silver, in men’s 10m platform, the final event in Paris.

Tom Daley Un-retires, Wins Fifth Olympic Medal at his Fifth Games

Great Britain’s Tom Daley returned for his fifth Olympics at age 30 and not only became the first British diver to carry his nation’s flag in the Opening Ceremony, but he also earned his fifth medal – a silver – in men’s 10m synchro.  Three years earlier, in Tokyo, Daley and Matty Lee won gold in that event, 1.23 points ahead of China, in the only Olympic diving event that China failed to win there. This time, Daley and his fifth synchro partner in five Games, Noah Williams, dove consistently but China expanded its lead after each round and came out 26.91 points ahead of the Brits for gold. 

Carson Tyler Was the Lone Diver Doing 3m and 10m Double Duty 

The 20-year-old American Carson Tyler  was the only diver in Paris who attempted the 3m and 10m double.  In his first event, he placed fourth in the men’s individual 3m springboard, but a day later, Tyler finished 19^th in preliminary round of the men’s 10m platform. Only the top 18 divers qualified for the semifinal so he was relegated to being a reserve athlete and could only advance if someone ahead of him withdrew from the 10m semis. But Paris might not be the last Games in which Tyler will dive on both boards. Asked if he would go for another Olympic double, Tyler said, “There’s a chance! Possibly!”

It was Quan vs. Chen (again) in the Women’s 10m

In the back-and-forth battle between teenage titans, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion, Quan Hongchan successfully beat her compatriot Chen Yuxi to win her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in women’s 10m platform. Quan was only 14 when she won gold in Tokyo, and Chen, now a two-time silver medalist in the event, was just 15. After Tokyo, the two had finished 1-2 at every world championship since then. Chen prevailed in 2022 and 2023, but Quan ended Chen’s attempt to three-peat by beating her at the 2024 worlds in February. Expect the battle to continue at the next World Aquatics Championships in 2025 in Singapore.

Diving Medal Table | Paris 2024 Olympic Games