All eyes were on Baja California’s High Performance Sports Center when FINA Diving World Series came to Tijuana, as this competition set the stage for this summer at the 2012 Olympics in London. Diving’s most elite athletes made the trip to Mexico to compete in this international event, with China as the odds on favorite to win nearly every category.
China has a legacy of diving excellence, as they have won six of the eight diving gold medals at the 2004 Olympics, and seven of eight in 2008. In the first three Diving World Series events this year – in Dubai, Beijing and Moscow – China won 22 of 24 events, and in one of those they didn’t enter anybody.
In Tijuana, China's Kai Qin swept the men's 3m springboard and Great Britain's Thomas Daley delivering an outstanding performance and taking gold in the men's 10m platform. China did not take part in all events but still managed to earn five titles.
The Diving World Series started in 2007 and also came to Tijuana in 2008. The Chinese were there as well, but the big story was podium finishes by Mexico’s Yahel Castillo and Paola Espinosa in individual events. Mexico carried the momentum into the Olympics a few months later, with Espinosa and partner Tatiana Ortiz taking the bronze in the 10-meter synchronized platform event – one of only three medals Mexico won in Beijing.
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