Happy 14th birthday! Chinese teens land diving gold
China’s Zhang Minjie and Zhang Jiaqi perform in the women’s synchronized 10m platform event during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on August 28, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / PETER PARKS
Two 14-year-old divers from China became the youngest gold medalists at the 2018 Asian Games when they romped to victory in the women’s synchronized 10 meter platform on Tuesday.
Zhang Jiaqi and Zhang Minjie — fresh from victory at the Wuhan world cup in June — tumbled into a commanding lead from their exquisite opening dive and never looked threatened, securing the top spot with 361.38.
Victory was the icing on the cake for Zhang Minjie, who was celebrating her 14th birthday on Tuesday.
Behind the terrific teens came North Korean duo Kim Kuk Hyang and Kim Mi Rae — who placed fourth in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio — on 337.86.
Malaysian pair Leong Mun Yee and Nur Dhabitah Sabri bagged the bronze with 310.80.
Zhang Jiaqi, ranked five in the world, and world number nine Zhang Minjie showed no hint of nerves as they rolled out a spectacular back two-and-a-half somersaults and one-and-a-half twists in the fifth and final round to clinch the gold.
Exiting the pool and even wiping their faces in perfect synchronization, there was no smile — just a conspiratorial whisper from Zhang Jiaqi, nicknamed “Little Fu Mingzia” after the Chinese diving great, into the ear of her team-mate.
The win continued China’s perfect streak in the synchronized 10 meter platform, winning the fifth gold medal on the fifth occasion the event has been held.
