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Chen Ruolin of China dives during women¡¯s 10m platform semifinal of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China, August 21, 2008. Chen Ruolin advaced to the final with a score of 444.60 points.(Xinhua Photo)
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BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese diver Chen Ruolin continued her dominance in the women's 10m platform semifinal at the Beijing Olympic Games here on Thursday.
A field of 18 divers competed in the semifinal,
sending 12 to the final on Thursday night.
Chen, 15, newly crowned 10m platform synchro Olympic
champion with partner Wang Xin, breezed through the semifinal with the top
qualifying score of 444.60 points.
Paola Espinosa, flag bearer of Mexico at the Beijing
Games, finished second in 400.75, while 16-year-old Wang Xin, the reigning world
champion, took the third place in 388.55.
Canadian veteran Emilie Heymans, winner of the event
in the 2003 Barcelona World Championships, finished fourtn in 374.10.
"I knew exactly what I've done wrong and I don't
think it's something that's really hard to change for the finals," said Heymans.
"I just didn't give enough energy at the start and that made it short and
low."
"I just really want to do really good dives and stay
focused and concentrate on what I have to do and not look at what's happening
around me. I'm not going to pay attention to anything else," she said.
Syndey Olympic champion Lauro Wilkinson of the United
States collected 346.10 for the sixth.
"It's not a great day this morning," said Wilkinson,
30. "But it's a good warm-up for tonight. I think I'm in a good place for this
evening."
"I want to get a medal one more time, and I enjoy the
ride," she said.
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, Chen and Wang will try their best for the
long-awaited gold.
