Chen maintains Chinese perfection in Shanghai

Shanghai: China`s Chen Ruolin won her third successive world 10 metres platform synchronised title as the host nation maintained its domination of the diving competition at the world swimming championships on Monday.

Chen combined with fellow teenager Wang Hao to clinch gold with an impressive 362.58 points, ahead of Australia`s Alexandra Croak and Melissa Wu (325.92 points), while Christin Steuer and Nora Subschinski of Germany clinched bronze (316.29 points). The 19-year-old Chen, who is also the Olympic champion in the event, had won her two previous world titles with different partners, Jia Tong in Melbourne in 2007 and fellow Beijing winner Wang Xin at Rome in 2009. China have now won all four of the diving finals in the first three days of the championships. "I am quite excited. I am still suffering from a waist injury but it didn`t cause much trouble in today`s competition" Chen told reporters."I will also enter the 10m platform event on Wednesday, so I must stay focused. I`m looking forward to it." The Chinese pair lead from start to finish, essentially cementing victory after the third round when they scored 81.90 points from a forward three-and-a-half somersault pike. The tussle for the silver, however, was the most intriguing battle at the outdoor pool at the Oriental Sports Centre with Canada, Germany, Britain and Australia all within eight points of each other until the penultimate round. The Canadian duo of Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion, however, blew their chance when they scored just 60.39 points on their fourth dive with their splash on entry reaching nearly as high as the adjacent three-metre platform. Britain`s Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow increased the pressure with a solid 77.76 points in the final round, moving to 314.52 points, though the Germans and the Australians responded with polished dives to ensure they completed the podium. IANS