China two for two in Diving

Updated: 2008-08-11 16:49:49

Lin Yue and Huo Liang compete. (Photo credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

(BEIJING, August 11) -- Michael Phelps is not the only one on a quest for eight at the National Aquatics Center. Lin Yue and Huo Liang took gold in Men's Synchronized 10m Platform with 468.18 points to keep China's hope for a Diving sweep alive. Sascha Klein and Patrick Hausding of Germany won silver, while Dmitriy Dobroskok and Gleb Galperin of Russia won bronze.

Lin and Huo, the reigning world champions, rewarded the faith of an enthusiastic home crowd by performing all six dives solidly, holding off fierce competition from Germany, Russia and Australia. The young Chinese pair is competing at their first Olympics, but seemed unaffected by the pressure.

Klein, who claimed gold at the 2008 World Cup in the Individual 10m Platform, and Hausing executed a near perfect fifth dive to earn a top-ranked score of 96.90 and clinch silver, 5.16 points ahead of Russia. The Russian pair was firmly in second place until a disastrous fifth dive -- ranked last in the field -- put them at risk to miss the podium. A 90.06-point final dive was ranked below Australia's final dive score of 92.34, but was enough to earn Russia bronze -- by just 0.42 points.

Robert Newbery of Australia, a bronze medalist in Athens, and partner Mathew Helm stuck with the leaders until the very end but were hurt by a poor fourth dive. Great Britain's Tom Daley made his Olympic debut at just 14 years old. He finished in last place with partner Blake Aldridge but may be a medal contender in the Individual Platform event, which is scheduled to begin August 22 and conclude August 23.

Synchronized Men's 10m Platform, Final standings:

1. China -- Lin Yue and Huo Liang, 468.18 points

2. Germany -- Sascha Klein and Patrick Hausding, 450.42

3. Russia -- Gleb Galperin and Dmitriy Dobroskok, 445.26

4. Australia -- Robert Newberry and Mathew Helm, 444.84

5. United States -- David Boudia and Thomas Finchum, 440.64

6. Colombia -- Victor Ortega and Juan Guillermo Uran, 423.66

7. Cuba -- Jose Antonio Guerra Oliva and Erick Fornaris, 409.38

8. Great Britain -- Thomas Daley and Blake Aldridge, 408.48