Women's Platform Diving Semifinal Results

Chen Ruolin was good. Paola Espinosa was good. Wang Xin was good. The rest, well, it was a contest of attrition as the women’s platform semifinals ground to an end at the Water Cube. Places changed hands so quickly it was hard to figure out who was going to make finals.

In the end though, a Chinese diver will dive last in the order and the field will chase a teenager, who will be chasing a championship that her country has not won since 1996. Chen and her teammate Wang will look to secure a title that has not been won by a Chinese diver since Fu Mingxia won platform gold in Atlanta in 1996.

You can throw out all previous results, because every dive that occurred in prelims and semifinals is history now, and will not mean a thing when the 12 finalists climb to the platform to begin their final five dives. All scores are erased and every diver will have the opportunity to win gold beginning at 7:00 am EST on August 21.

This platform contest seems a bit odd as what appears to be mature women chasing after little girls, who appear so tiny and frail that you wonder if they should be on the platform. That is, until you see them dive. It will be hard to keep either of the Chinese girls from atop the podium, but this just might be the one event that slips through the cracks for China.

Despite the obvious problem with her back 3 ½ pike, and the talk of an injured triceps, expect 30-year-old Laura Wilkinson to be there in full force for finals. She is too competitive and has too much experience to fold. At the age of 26, Emilie Heymans has also been here before, and despite a lackluster back 3 ½ in tuck during semifinals, she will compete until the final dive. In addition, don’t be surprised to see 22 year-old Paola Espinosa in the top spot. She finished third behind Chen and Wang at the 2008 FINA World Cup, and has medaled at the world championships.

Chen and Wang will get in the water clean on every dive – that’s what happens when you weigh 66 and 62 pounds dripping wet, but the two are not strong as many of the women competing, and that could be their undoing.

So it comes down to age versus youth. Youth looks pretty good, but don’t count out the old girls!

Event Notes:

• China, Mexico, Canada and Great Britain each qualified two divers for the final round of women’s platform.
• The contest will feature four divers who are still in their teens: Chen Ruolin (15), Wang Xin (16), Melissa Wu (16) and Tania Couch (19).
• Wang Xin won platform at the 2007 World Championships, with Chen Ruolin second. Prior to that, Laura Wilkinson won in 2005, and Emilie Heymans in 2003.

Women’s Olympic Platform Semifinal Results
Top 12 Advance to Finals

1. Chen Ruolin (China) – 444.60
2. Paola Espinosa (Mexico) – 400.75
3. Wang Xin (China) – 388.55
4. Emilie Heymans (Canada) – 374.10
5. Tatiana Ortiz (Mexico) – 349.50
6. Laura Wilkinson (United States) – 346.10
7. Marie-Eve Marleau (Canada) – 335.25
8. Melissa Wu (Australia) – 331.35
9. Elina Eggers (Sweden) – 315.45
10. Mai Nakagawa (Japan) – 314.60
11. Stacie Powell (Great Britain) – 301.75
12. Tonia Couch (Great Britain) – 297.20
13. Tania Cagnotto (Italy) – 296.60
14. Haley Ishimatsu (United States) – 292.95
15. Valentina Marocchi (Italy) – 283.15
16. Kim Un Hyang (North Korea) – 267.00
17. Kim Jin Ok (North Korea) – 259.40
18. Alexandra Croak (Australia) – 250.30