Chinese Divers Open World Cup With Win
A possible sweep by China of the gold medals at the FINA Diving World Cup got a necessary start with a first-place finish for Wang Feng and Qin Kai in the men's 3m synchronized event. There's talk that China could take a gold each day for the rest of this six-day competition that will help determine the field for the Olympics in August.
The newly-opened Water Cube, formally known as the National Aquatics Center, is winning plaudits from competitors, coaches and FINA officials. Some call it the best venue ever for aquatics.
Cornel Marculescu, executive director of international federation FINA, says the scale of the arena, with its high roofline and wide open space, makes the Water Cube "a swimming temple".
"I think this is an excellent place to compete," he tells Around the Rings on opening night of the diving.
"There are a few things here and there to fix, but they are all little technical issues," he says.
The crowd on Tuesday night numbered about 5,000, barely a third the capacity, but a reasonable crowd for an Olympic test event. A full house is expected later in the week for marquee platform diving events that should feature Chinese athletes. Marculescu says the enthusiasm bodes well for August.
"Always if you have to organize a successful competition, you need to have the winners from home," he says.
"I have no doubt we are going to have a great event -- not just diving, but swimming, [synchronized swimming], marathon swimming." Marculescu notes that the rowing course at Shunyi north of Beijing that will serve as the marathon venue will be a favorite with competitors because it offers clean and clear water.
Around the Cube
The 16th FINA Diving World Cup has drawn nearly 350 competitors from 54 countries…
Scalpers abound at the entrance to the Water Cube, hawking tickets to diving in the range of $25…
Of the 12 pairs of divers lined up in team uniforms for introductions at the open of the 3m synchronized event, only the Americans stood shoeless…
The press work room for the diving competition is literally steps away from the mixed zone, a highly convenient set-up that doesn't occur often enough in the Olympics…
Moon over the cube: A dramatic sight Tuesday night, the rising of a nearly full moon over the blue-glowing Water Cube. Wednesday's full moon, marks the end of the Lunar New Year festival…
With reporting from Ed Hula.
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