JAKARTA: China’s powerhouse divers secured a one-two in the women’s 10 metre platform yesterday, with Si Yajie taking gold to successfully defend her Asian Games title.
Nineteen-year-old Si, an Olympic silver medallist, never looked seriously threatened by Zhang Jiaqi, 14 - but later claimed she had not anticipated the win over her younger rival.
“I’m feeling quite emotional, I did not expect this,” Si said after securing the top spot with 405.45.
Zhang - nicknamed “Little Fu Mingzia” after the Chinese diving great - opened with an outstanding forward three-and-a-half somersaults in front of a sea of boisterous, red-shirted China fans.
But in the end Si’s experience saw her through and she won with a remarkably consistent 8.5 average on all five rounds.
“I felt the pressure a little bit,” said the tiny Zhang, looking overwhelmed among a scrum of reporters.
“But she (Si) is a bit older and has taught me how to cope,” added Zhang, who won the synchronised 10 metre platform on Tuesday with Zhang Minjie, who was celebrating her 14th birthday.
Zhang Jiaqi finished on 395.30, as North Korea’s Kim Mi Rae landed bronze with 367.90.
Meanwhile, Chinese trampolinist Dong Dong became the first Asian Games gymnast to win an individual event three times in a row when he bounced to gold in the men’s final yesterday.
The 29-year-old former Olympic champion scored 59.925 to win ahead of his Chinese team-mate Gao Lei’s 59.220, with Kazakhstan’s Pirmammad Aliyev taking bronze.
Dong Dong extends an Asian Games reign that began at Guangzhou 2010 and adds to a heaving trophy cabinet that includes three Olympic medals.