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Guo
is most decorated female diver
 
Guo Jingjing of China won the three-meter
springboard title yesterday at the Olympics, becoming the most decorated female
diver with her sixth career medal.
Guo totalled 415.35 points to defend her
title from four years ago in Athens and make China five-for-five in diving at
these Games. She and partner Wu Minxia won the women's three-meter synchronized
title last weekend.
Having another gold medal around her neck
made Guo back away from the retirement talk that swirled around her before the
Games.
'I like the feeling when I stand on the
springboard,' she said through a translator. 'I just can't give it up.'
Guo surpassed countrywoman Fu Mingxia, who
won five medals during her Olympic career.
She teamed with Fu to finish second on
synchronized springboard at the 2000 Sydney Games, then Guo and Wu won the title
in Athens. Guo was the silver medalist on individual springboard in Sydney.
'I've done everything I've wanted to in my
career,' she said. 'There's nothing left to do.' But she's still not sure she
wants to step away.
'I haven't thought of retirement yet because
I love diving,' she said. 'If possible, I will continue diving.'
That could be discouraging news to her
rivals.
Julia Pakhalina of Russia, the bronze
medalist in Athens, moved up to the silver at 398.60 points. 'I would have
preferred gold, but I'm happy,' she said.
Wu earned the bronze this time with 389.85
points after being the runner-up four years ago.
Guo's title extended China's dominance on
women's springboard, an event the Chinese have won for six consecutive Olympics.
'It's a memorable moment in my career,' she
said. 'I've been waiting four years for another gold. It doesn't appear to the
eye, but I've had ups and downs. But despite what I did in the past, I made it
today.' - 2008 August
17 AFP
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