SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — China has won more diving gold medals than any other country, passing the one-time powerhouse United States for the top spot on the table Monday.
Lian Junjie and Yang Hao breezed to victory in synchronized 10-meter platform, the 49th gold medal in China’s history.
After a bit of clarification from the International Olympic Committee, China’s mark stands alone,
Some record books list the U.S. with 49 golds as well, but the IOC considers a 1904 victory in a one-time event known as “plunging for distance” to be part of the swimming program, not diving.
And What Is Plunging For Distance?
It was apparently popular around the turn of the last century, basically requiring an athlete — using that term rather loosely — to plunge into the water facedown from a stationary position and float as far as possible for either 60 seconds or until the competitor had to come up for air.
The victory went to whoever traveled the farthest without using using their arms or legs. Apparently, it helped to be carrying a few extra pounds, because historical accounts of the competitions made it clear the more girth, the better.
Take that, those who think sports such as climbing and breakdancing have no place in the Olympics.
While plunging for distance sounds downright ludicrous by today’s standards, the sport was popular enough to be included on program at the St. Louis Olympics. It never returned, and it wasn’t long before the sport — again, using that term very loosely — faded away as a serious competitive endeavor.
China Dominates Off The Tower
Lian and Yang were doing far more than floating as they spun and flipped through the air with near perfect synchronization, blowing away the other seven pairs in the field.
China came into the Paris Games favored in all eight events and essentially a sure thing to take down the American record for most golds.
The Big Red Machine is now 2-for-2 at these Olympics as it looks to become the first country to sweep all eight events since the program was doubled at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Since that expansion, China has won 40 of 50 golds, including seven of eight at each of the last two Summer Games.
There hasn’t been a diving sweep since the U.S. claimed gold in all four events at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
“I don’t think anybody is unbeatable,” Yang said through a translator. “We need to seize the moment.”
