BELGRADE, July 4 (Xinhua) -- China demonstrated its depth of talent in diving at the World University Games as it won easily both events contested on Saturday, but South Korea had a tight grip on the top of the gold medal table.

    South Korea now leads the overall standings with nine gold medals, ahead of China's five. But the Chinese have 17 medals, two more than their east Asian neighbors. Japan, Spain and Switzerland, all having two gold medals under their names, are tied for third place.

    On the first day of diving competition, Zhang Sen and Wu Minghong won the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard final with a score of 404.07 points, while Dong Jun and Yao Xinyi finished one-two in the women's one-meter springboard final.

    "Zhang Sen and Wu Minghong never paired up before the University Games, so given this fact, their victory was really valuable," said Zhang Ting, head coach of the Chinese diving team.

    China, a perennial diving powerhouse, is expected to add to its total when 10 more diving events remain at the Universiade.

    A day after leading China to victory in the gymnastics women's team event, Jiang Yuyuan took the all-round title with a score of 57.050 points.

    Compatriot He Ning grabbed silver, and Kim Un Hyang of DPR Korea had bronze.

    Jiang, member of China's Beijing Olympics gold medal-winning squad, produced consistent performance on all the four disciplines except the uneven bars, where she failed to complete her full set of routine.

    Jiang said that the incident didn't affect her.

    "I didn't lose my nerve after the flaw. I know I can win," said the 18-year-old girl.

    Despite falling from pommel horse, Japan's Yosuke Hoshi still won the men's all-round gold, narrowly beating China's Wang Heng by merely 0.05 points. The bronze medal went to Kim Soo Myun of South Korea.

    Switzerland, Iran, Kazakhstan each grabbed a gold medal in taekwondo, while Moon Kil-sang defeated Ninoslav Babic in the men's under 58kg category final to increase South Korea's haul of gold medals to seven in the martial art.

    The South Koreans also had success in fencing, with Son Young Ki claiming the men's individual foil gold and Kim Hye Lim upsetting Chinese duo Tan Xue and Bao Yingying en route to winning the women's individual saber.

    "She (Kim) was really hot today," said Tan Xue, the silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics. "It is very regrettable that we missed out on the gold."

    China's women's soccer team used precision finishing and speed up front to beat host Serbia 2-0 in their final group match. In the quarterfinals, China will face Japan, which finished runner-up of Group D.

    In basketball, Chinese men's team suffered its third defeat in the tournament, losing 100-83 to Canada.

    China's men's volleyball team also lost their third game in a row, going down 25-14, 25-14, 25-12 to world champion Brazil.

    There are 21 gold medals at stake on Sunday.