All three active Chinese divers with individual Olympic gold medals will not compete individually at the World Championships this summer, according to Xinhua News Agency, a testament to the nation’s extraordinary depth.
He Chong, the three-time reigning World champion on the 3m springboard and 2008 Olympic champion, was left off the roster entirely after underperforming at national trials.
Chen Ruolin, the two-time reigning Olympic women’s platform champion who won platform medals at the last four World Championships, will compete only in the synchro platform at Worlds in Kazan, Russia, according to the report.
Wu Minxia, the 2012 Olympic women’s springboard champion, will also compete only in synchro at the World Championships. Wu, who earned individual springboard medals at every Worlds from 2001 through 2011, also did not compete individually at the 2013 World Championships.
Si Yajie, the 2013 World champion in women’s platform at age 14, was also left off the individual platform team but will compete in the new mixed-gender synchro platform and team events.
The Chinese roster of individual divers for this summer’s Worlds is led by men’s platform stars Qiu Bo, the two-time defending World champion, and Yang Jian. They are primary competition for U.S. Olympic champion David Boudia and British Olympic bronze medalist Tom Daley.
He Zi, who swept the women’s 1m and 3m springboard at 2013 Worlds, is entered in both events again this year.
In 2013, China won nine of 10 gold medals at Worlds after sweeping all 10 at the 2011 Worlds.
