China’s divers were hailed as an inspiration by their beaten opponents Wednesday after winning a third gold from three so far at the Paris Olympics, as they pursue a clean sweep.
The teenage duo of Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi obliterated the rest of the field in the women’s synchronised 10m platform with 359.10 points, leaving North Korea trailing in their wake in second (315.90) and Britain third (304.38).
At the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games three years ago, China won seven of the eight golds. The British duo of Tom Daley and Matty Lee clinched the other.
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, the British bronze medallist, said Quan and Chen, 17 and 18 respectively, were impossible to catch.
The Chinese divers are both now two-time Olympic gold medallists.
“The Chinese train so hard, the way that they train, everything is close to perfection,” the Briton said.
“They are the best of the best, the people that we chase, and inspiration. Just so good.
“I’m always clapping their dives. Just watch their dives — they go in the water like they are sleeping.”
