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Aussie Wins Women's Diving; Wilkinson 5th
2004-08-22
China's Lishi Lao dives during the semi-finals of the women's 10 metre platform diving competition at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics August 21, 2004. Lishi Lao qualified for finals with second best score. |
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ATHENS, Greece - Chantelle Newbery won Australia's first gold medal in diving since 1924 Sunday night, easily holding off China's Lao Lishi and Aussie teammate Loudy Tourky in women's 10-meter platform. American Laura Wilkinson, the defending Olympic champion, was fifth.Newbery finished first with 590.31 points, prompting cheering Aussies to wave flags and plastic kangaroos at the indoor pool. ``I'm just rapt,'' she said. ``I just can't believe the way it all turned out.'' Lao earned silver with 576.30 points, while Tourky took bronze with 561.66. Emilie Heymans of Canada, the current world champion, was fourth with 555.03. Wilkinson scored 549.72 points. ``I'm a little bummed,'' Wilkinson said. ``I thought it was going to be like Sydney. It wasn't, but I'm OK with that.'' Four years ago, Wilkinson rallied from fifth place to win gold, taking advantage when those ahead of her botched their dives. She was the first American since 1964 to win the 10-meter title. This time, an Aussie pulled off the upset. Australia's only other gold medal in diving was won by Richmond Eve at the Paris Games in men's plain high diving, the last time that event was part of the Olympic program. Newbery finished strongly, hitting a backward pike 2 1/2 somersault with 1 1/2 twists. She climbed out of the pool, smiled and waved. ``I was very scared,'' she said, ``but I knew that I had it in me to do a good dive. My last dive is my best dive.'' It was the 27-year-old Aussie's second medal of the Athens Games. She and teammate Irina Lashko earned bronze in 3-meter synchronized diving Aug. 14. Newbery, of Melbourne, is married to diver Robert Newbery, who won bronze in synchronized 10-meter platform in Athens. Wilkinson, of Spring, Texas, was 0.21 points out of a bronze medal after three dives, but underrotated on her fourth dive, causing her legs to smack the water. ``I really wanted to hit that dive,'' she said. ``I had a great takeoff. I found my spots. I just came out a little early, but I gave it all that I had.'' Said U.S. coach Ken Armstrong, ``If she comes out a little later, she would have been where she was in Sydney.'' Wilkinson then slightly overrotated on her final dive, earning marks ranging from 6.5 to 8.0. She hugged Armstrong and smiled weakly, realizing she would not be on the medals podium again. Lao, a 16-year-old competing in her first Olympics, was trying to return the gold medal to China. The country had won four straight women's platform titles until Wilkinson's stunning victory four years ago. Her 17-year-old teammate, Li Ting, made a late push, but finished sixth with 546.48 points. Li was especially good on her last dive, a backward pike 2 1/2 somersault with 1 1/2 twists. She knifed through the water, barely making a splash and earned marks ranging from 9.5 to 8.5. Sara Hildebrand of St. Paul, Minn., never moved out of 10th place, ending up with 484.77 points. AP
Chen wins on last dive to give China its 7th gold (2008-08-21)Wilkinson wins gold for Americans in 10-meter diving (2005-07-20)Aussie Wins Women's Diving; Wilkinson 5th (2004-08-22)Wilkinson survives scare to advance from platform preliminaries (2004-08-20)Wilkinson won't sneak up on anyone at this Olympics (2004-06-26)
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