Powerhouse China is ready to clinch a second gold medal at the "Good Luck Beijing" 16th FINA Diving World Cup in Beijing on Tuesday as world's top two divers will compete in Wednesday's women's 10-meter platform event.

 

World No. 1 Wang Xin, 15, winner of the women's 10m platform diving in 2007 Melbourne world championships, is likely to display a fierce battle in the event with No. 2 Chen Ruolin, also second placer in Melbourne.

 

Chen has been in good shape that she swept all titles in this event during the recent world series.

 

On Tuesday's preliminary competition, Chen and Wang took the first and second places respectively.

 

"I just performed my medium level," said Chen.

 

The Chinese might be challenged by Austrilian Loudy Wiggins, bronze medalist in the event in Athens Olympic Games, who finished third in the preliminary competition.

 

Wiggins had taken a break from diving for nearly two years and made her comeback in mid-2007.

 

"I'm pretty happy with my performance," said Wiggins. "I haven't competed internationally since 2006."

 

Besides, Canadian Emilie Heymans, the 2003 world champion, currently ranked third in the world, finished fifth, while Laura Wilkinson, America's diving icon, winner of the women's 10m platform event in the Sydney Olympic Games, finished sixth.

 

Australian Wu Melissa, 16, silver medalist in women's 10m platform synchro, took the seventh place.

 

"It was good for the preliminaries," said Heymans. "One advantage I have is my height, which may lead to some of my dives looking better to the judges."

 

Wednesday will also see the preliminary competition of the men's 3m springboard.

 

China won the first gold medal on Tuesday as world champion pair Wang Feng and Qin Kai clinched the gold in men's 3m springboard synchronized diving.

 

The "Good Luck Beijing" 16th FINA Diving World Cup, which runs from Feb. 19 to 25, serves as an Olympic qualifier and attracts 296 divers from 56 countries and regions.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2008)