Chinese springboard favorites Qin Kai and Wang Feng are in full swing for regaining glory at men's 3m springboard synchro final at the Water Cube on Wednesday.
The Chinese Dream Team had tasted sorrow in the same event at the Athens Olympics, when Peng Bo and Wang Kenan blundered in their final dive and were awarded zero point.
The gold just slipped out of their hands to Greek duo Thomas Bimis and Nikolaos Siranidis after a series mistakes of other divers, leaving the Chinese lamenting the last place.
Qin and Wang, 21 and 29 respectively, set out to make amends for teammates' disappointing show four years ago and win back China's dominance in the event.
The pair, winner of the event of 2008 Beijing World Cup and the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne, has unarguable reign in the event.
However, they might see severe battle from Russian legendary Dmitry Sautin and his teenager pair Yuriy Kunakov, as well as Canadian duo Alexandre Despatie and Arturo Miranda, silver winners of the 2007 Worlds in Melbourne and bronze medalists the 2008 World Cup in Beijing.
The five-time Russian Olympian was among the divers "losing controls" in men's 3m springboard synchro final at the Athens Olympics, in which he hit the board on his way down from a dive and finished only seventh.
The iron man launched a strong comeback in Beijing to complete his Olympic cause.
Chinese Qin and Wang are tipped as the hot favorites for the title, the last synchronized diving event in the Olympic tournament. China has already claimed the other three synchronized diving golds.
(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2008)