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Paul McNamara

Cao Yuan said he was “confident” China could repel the ferocious challenge of arch-rivals the United States and finish top of the Olympic medal table in Paris.
On Saturday, diver Cao claimed a fourth gold from four Games to cement his legacy as one of China’s greatest Olympians.
Cao’s success, coupled with women’s team table tennis gold, meant China won every medal available from both of those sports.
With golds in men’s weightlifting and women’s rhythmic gymnastics, artistic swimming and boxing, too, China were doggedly staving off the Americans, who won three golds on the final night of track and field action, in the fight for Olympic supremacy. The Games conclude on Sunday.

“It is possible we can keep this advantage, because we are near the end,” said Cao, who emphatically defended the men’s 10m platform title he won in Tokyo. “I feel confident China can do it.”
It was expected that Cao would face stiff competition for gold from compatriot Yan Hao. The 26-year-old world champion flopped, however, consistently fluffing his routines to finish last.
That left eventual silver medallist Rikuto Tamai of Japan to emerge as Cao’s main challenger. The 17-year-old Tamai was immaculate, other than a scruffy fifth dive that increased the distance between the top two from 2.75 to 52.45 points.
Noah Williams of Great Britain, who took bronze, said he envisaged China hogging Olympic diving golds “for as far I can see into the future”.
Cao said he had been unflustered by the responsibility of completing the perfect diving set for China. He felt there were no mental scars from failing to win gold in the synchronised events in 2016 and 2021, both Games in which China won the other seven golds.
“I still won individual gold medals in those Games, and to defend [my title] … is a great honour,” Cao said. “Every time I win a gold medal, I am really proud of myself.
“I didn’t think too much about the eight medals. I focused on myself, [but] I’m happy to help China gain the final gold. It’s historic, congratulations to China.
“My own performance was good, I am happy with training and my effort. I have experience, and overcame many challenges to make it to the Olympics. I always believe in myself, I am very confident.”
Cao won synchronised 10m platform gold on his Olympic debut in 2012. He added the individual men’s 3m springboard title in Rio four years later, before the successive 10m platform successes in Tokyo and Paris.
Teammate Yang, however, was nowhere near the level that secured him world gold in February. He began well in the French capital, winning the 10m platform synchronised title with Lian Junjie. Competing alone, though, the Olympic debutant fell victim to stage fright.
“I think he was a little nervous or stressed at his first Olympics,” Cao said. “He’s not as experienced. Being calm is an important skill.”
Bronze medallist Williams said the lower podium places were likely to be as good as it gets for non-Chinese divers for a long time to come.

“They train better and harder than everybody else, and have amazing facilities,” Williams, 24, said. “When we compete in China, the pools are incredible. They have multiple world and Olympic champions, so the training conditions must be perfect for them. When I train with [Great Britain’s 2021 Olympic champion] Tom Daley, it pushes me to be better.
“To even make the Chinese team is harder than winning the Olympics. For as far as I can see into the future, they will be winning gold.
“I am not saying it is impossible to beat them, and it is something we want to change. Tom and Matty [Lee, Daley’s 2021 synchronised 10m platform partner] showed [we could] in Tokyo. But if you look at every World Championships and World Cup event, they always come out on top.”


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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris Olympics: diving champion Cao Yuan backs China to fend off US in medal scrap

Cao Yuan in action in diving’s men’s 10m platform final. Photo: Reuters

Noah Williams (right) expected China to sustain their global diving dominance. Photo: Xinhua. 

Cao’s gold was his fourth in four Olympics and completed a perfect Games for China divers. Photo: Xinhua

Paris Olympics: table tennis, diving sweeps as China beat medal forecast in race with US

Cao Yuan competes during the men’s 10m platform diving final. Photo: Xinhua

(From left) Wang Manyu, Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng took women’s team gold. Photo: EPA-EFE

The China team are jubilant after the group all-round final in rhythmic gymnastics. Photo: Xinhua

Paris Olympics: China table tennis legend Ma Long hints at retirement after sixth gold

Chinese table tennis icon Ma Long has suggested he may call time on his storied career after winning a sixth Olympic gold medal. Photo: Xinhua

Gold medallists (from left) Ma Long, Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong wave to fans. Photo: Reuters

Paris Olympics: China tipped for bigger things in hockey after ‘incredible’ team’s silver

China’s players are applauded after their narrow loss in the gold medal match in Paris. Photo: Xinhua

China beat higher-ranked Australia and Belgium en route to the Paris podium. Photo: AFP

China’s players celebrate after scoring their early goal in the final in Paris. Photo: Xinhua

Paris Olympics: Quan Hongchan showered with dolls, nod to family’s humble beginnings

China’s diving queen Quan Hongchan has inspired fans as much for her story outside the pool as for her talents on a board. Photo: Xinhua

Quan Hongchan’s family’s humble beginnings meant it was difficult for her to play with toys as a child. Photo: Xinhua

Sport

Paris Olympics 2024

Aquatics

China

British rival of Cao says he expects Chinese diving dominance to continue ‘as far as I can see into the future’


British rival of Cao says he expects Chinese diving dominance to continue ‘as far as I can see into the future’.
