China still far from dominating high diving world

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China dominates the world of diving.

Yet in high diving, the sport’s newest event at the World Swimming Championships, China didn’t have one athlete competing in either the women’s or men’s events.

Only five women competed for the medals, leaping off a platform 20 meters, the equivalent of a seven-story building, above the harbor in Barcelona. The men’s competition included 14 divers jumping from 27 meters. In mainstream diving, the highest platform is 10 meters.

China won nine of 10 golds in mainstream diving, so the question is why doesn’t the country have any athletes in high diving?

“Chinese divers don’t lack the skills needed, but it’s a brand new sport and not many have had the chance to try it,” said Yang Guang, the only Chinese member of the World High Diving Federation.

Yang won his first 10m platform national championship at the age of 13. He had to give up the sport due to a hand fracture two years later.

In 1999, he tried high diving for the first time at the age of 19. Yang participated in international high diving events for six years. He has since built a high dive team that gives commercial performances around China.

According to WHDF, there are only about 200 professional high divers in the world, many of whom switched to the sport from mainstream diving.

Yang said high diving is different in many ways, not just because of the risk and height involved.

“High diving athletes don’t have a team behind them, not even a coach. One diver finishes his jump and watches the next competitor from the shore and then gives suggestions. We work together to improve the sport,” Yang said.

Chinese diving team leader Zhou Jihong said: “Training methods for high diving are totally different and very demanding. Proper protection is needed during training. It’s highly professional and not all athletes can take it up.”

Apart from scant public awareness and relatively poor foundations for “extreme” sports, the lack of facilities and management professionals have also led to the sport’s slow development.

There still are no signs China will enter athletes in future high diving events as the National Sports Bureau hasn’t determined which department should be in charge of the sport.

Qiu Bo, who won the men’s 10m platform gold for China in Barcelona, says he isn’t interested in switching to the higher platform.

“No, I’m not going to try it,” Qiu said. “I’m definitely going to watch it. It’s amazing and takes a lot of courage.”

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