Teenage divers Chen Ruolin and Wang Xin are expected to recapture the Olympic women's 10-meter platform title for China which have swept the six out of eight gold medals up for grab.
Wang and Chen made an one-two finish in Wednesday's preliminary. The final will be held on Thursday night.
At the Syndey Olympics, American diver Laura Wilkinson beat Chinese Li Na for the women's 10m platform title. In Athens, Australian Chantelle Newbery stunned Chinese favourite Lao Lishi to win the gold. Both Li and Lao finished second.
In Beijing, Wang Xin and Chen Ruolin, newly Olympic champions in 10m platform synchro, will try their best for the long-awaited gold.
Wang, 16, is the reigning world champion of the event, while the 15-year-old Chen, silver medalist at 2007 Melbourne worlds, currently ranks No. 1 in the world. With the two teenagers, China has great hope to seal the gold.
Wang and Chen will meet the challenge from Wilkinson, who finished fifth in the preliminary. Wilkinson has announced her retirement after the Beijing Games.
Emilie Heymans of Canada, winner of the event in 2003 Barcelona World Championships, will also be a strong contender. She took the third place in the preliminary.
Paola Espinosa of Mexico, seventh in the preliminary, will also pose threat to the Chinese divers.
Another eye-catching foreign diver is Melissa Wu of Australia, silver medallist of the synchro platform with partner Briony Cole in Beijing. She finished eighth in the preliminary.
The 16-year-old made her international debut just two years ago and has already snatched one gold and one silver in this event at Grand Prix circuits this season.
(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2008)