Asian Games 2026: Chen Yuxi, Wang Zongyuan lead China's diving gold sweep

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Asian Games 2026: Chen Yuxi, Wang Zongyuan lead China's diving gold sweep

Synopsis

Chen Yuxi answered five years of adversity with a gold medal — and a perfect-10 dive — in Tokyo, while Wang Zongyuan swept three springboard and synchro titles in a single Games. China now stands at 98 Asian Games diving golds, two events away from potentially a clean sweep at 2026.

Key Takeaways

Chen Yuxi won the women's 10m platform gold at the 2026 Asian Games with 432.65 points , leading wire-to-wire.
Her fourth-round dive — a back 3½ somersaults in tuck — earned 97.35 points , with judges awarding perfect 10s for execution.
Teammate Lu Wei (16) took silver ( 385.40 ); DPR Korea's Jo Jin-mi claimed bronze ( 363.80 ).
Wang Zongyuan completed a three-gold sweep — 1m springboard, synchronised 3m springboard, men's 3m springboard — at a single Games.
Wang's 3m springboard win was China's 98th Asian Games diving gold medal .
The women's 3m springboard and men's 10m platform finals are scheduled for Wednesday .

Olympic champion Chen Yuxi produced a commanding performance in the women's 10m platform on Tuesday, while two-time Olympic champion Wang Zongyuan capped a remarkable three-gold sweep as China extended its stranglehold on diving at the 2026 Asian Games in Tokyo.

Chen Dominates the Women's 10m Platform

Chen led from the opening round and broke clear midway through the final with two outstanding dives, eventually claiming gold with a total of 432.65 points. Teammate Lu Wei finished second with 385.40, while Jo Jin-mi of DPR Korea took bronze with 363.80.

The highlight of the final arrived in the fourth round, when Chen executed a back 3½ somersaults in tuck position that earned 97.35 points, with several judges awarding perfect 10s for execution. She had scored 76.50, 86.40, and 92.40 on her first three dives before that signature moment, then closed with 80.00 to comfortably seal the title.

'In the final, I kept telling myself that every dive had to be done cleanly. I had to stay relaxed without any hesitation,' Chen said. 'I'd rather pull off the dive decisively, imperfect as it might be, than hesitate halfway through.'

Chen acknowledged that her final dive had narrowly avoided an over-rotation. 'I need to go back and train hard. After all, I still didn't do the 5253B well,' she said. Notably, the victory arrived five years after Chen won Olympic silver at the same venue — a symmetry she described in a single word: 'resilience.' 'Over these five years, I have certainly encountered difficulties and moments when I wanted to give up. But in the end, I firmly chose to come back and keep going,' she added.

Chen confirmed her next major target is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Teammate Lu, just 16 years old and competing at her first Asian Games, acknowledged that nerves had affected her control in the afternoon session. 'Overall, I felt pretty good about the competition, but in the afternoon I was very excited, and perhaps I had a little less control over my dives,' she said.

Wang Zongyuan Completes a Three-Gold Campaign

Later on Tuesday, Wang Zongyuan sealed his three-gold campaign by winning the men's 3m springboard, adding to his earlier victories in the men's 1m springboard and the synchronised 3m springboard. The 24-year-old led from his opening dive and stayed on top throughout, despite a dip to 68.40 points on his fifth attempt — a stumble he corrected with an 85.50 on his final dive to close out the title.

'It was a challenge to compete in three events and fight for three gold medals, especially as I get older,' Wang said. 'I'm very happy that I managed to push through and accomplish the goal, although my overall performance was not perfect.'

Teammate Zheng Jiuyuan, competing at his own first Asian Games, recovered from two costly early errors — scoring just 39.10 on his opening dive and 43.20 on his fourth — to claim silver with 419.75 points, anchored by the highest-scoring dive of the final at 93.60 on his last attempt. Sakai Sho of Japan took bronze with 376.40. 'I was too excited at the beginning, but I forced myself to calm down and just follow what I do in training,' Zheng said.

China's Historic Diving Milestone

Wang's victory in the men's 3m springboard was China's 98th Asian Games diving gold medal — a figure that underscores the nation's near-unchallenged dominance of the discipline since the event's earliest editions. The haul in Tokyo 2026 continues a pattern of Chinese diving supremacy that has persisted across multiple Games cycles.

What's Left in the Pool

Two diving titles remain to be decided on Wednesday — the women's 3m springboard and the men's 10m platform. China will be heavy favourites in both events as it pursues what could become a clean sweep of all diving gold medals at these Games.

Point of View

Suggesting the pipeline is replenishing itself without a dip in quality. Chen Yuxi's 'resilience' framing is more than a sound bite — her return from a year-long competitive absence mirrors a broader pattern of Chinese divers cycling through breaks and returning at the highest level, a luxury that depth in the national programme uniquely affords. The remaining two titles on Wednesday will determine whether China ends Tokyo 2026 with a perfect diving sweep — an outcome that would make a compelling case that the discipline is, effectively, a closed competition at this level.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Chen Yuxi win the women's 10m platform at the 2026 Asian Games?
Chen Yuxi won gold with 432.65 points, leading from the first round and delivering a standout fourth-round dive — a back 3½ somersaults in tuck — that earned 97.35 points, with judges awarding perfect 10s for execution. Teammate Lu Wei took silver (385.40) and DPR Korea's Jo Jin-mi claimed bronze (363.80).
How many gold medals did Wang Zongyuan win at the 2026 Asian Games?
Wang Zongyuan won three gold medals — in the men's 1m springboard, synchronised 3m springboard, and men's 3m springboard — completing a full sweep of his events at a single Games. The 24-year-old described it as a challenge to compete in three events, but said he was happy to push through.
What is the significance of China's 98th Asian Games diving gold medal?
Wang Zongyuan's win in the men's 3m springboard on Tuesday was China's 98th Asian Games diving gold medal, underscoring the nation's near-unbroken dominance of the discipline across multiple Games cycles. With two events still to be decided on Wednesday, China could push the tally to 100.
What is Chen Yuxi's next major target after the 2026 Asian Games?
Chen confirmed that her next major target is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. She also acknowledged she needs to keep refining her 5253B dive after nearly over-rotating on her final attempt in Tuesday's final.
Which diving events are left at the 2026 Asian Games?
Two titles remain — the women's 3m springboard and the men's 10m platform — both scheduled for Wednesday. China is expected to be the strong favourite in both events.
Nation Press
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