Zakharov out to upset Chinese in Dubai

Dubai: Many of the superstars of world diving will arrive in Dubai next week ahead of the second leg of the Fina/Midea Diving World Series 2013, being held at the Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Sports Complex from March 21 to 23.

With the line-up featuring the holders of nine world championship crowns and the winners of seven 2012 Olympic gold medals, UAE diving fans will be treated to an Olympic-standard event featuring 54 competitors from 13 countries.

The Chinese team is expected to dominate, but the presence of Ilya Zakharov of Russia, one of only two athletes to break the Chinese stranglehold on gold in London, as well as nine other minor medallists from London, are expected to put the favourites to the test.

Zakharov will be seeking to repeat his London gold medal performance in the three-metre springboard, but will have to contend with 2011 world champion He Chong, who had to settle for bronze in London.

Zakharov will be aiming to go one better in the three-metre springboard synchro, in which he took silver in London with Evgeny Kuznetsov, who will also be competing in Dubai. With only one member of the Chinese three-metre synchro Olympic gold medal team competing, the Russians are hot favourites in that event.

“We are delighted to be welcoming back the stars of international diving and, with such an impressive line-up, the action will be breathtaking,” said Dr Ahmad Al Sharif, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council and Chairman of the Organising Committee.

“We saw some incredible diving action at the Fina/Midea Diving World Series last year and we are thrilled that Dubai fans will see an Olympic-standard event again this year.”

The dominance of Chen Ruolin in the women’s 10m platform will also be tested by rising stars Brittany Broben, of Australia, and Pandela Rinong Pamg, of Malaysia. Chen won gold in both the 10m platform and 10m synchro in London to go with her world championships titles in both events.

Seventeen-year-old Broben burst onto the international diving scene when she took silver in London aged just 16, while Pamg became a national hero after the 19-year-old claimed her country’s first ever diving medal with bronze. In doing so she became the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal of any kind, and the first Malaysian athlete to win a medal in a sport other than badminton.

In the women’s three metres, the unstoppable Wu Minxia, who is currently world champion and Olympic champion in both the three-metre individual and three-metre synchro events, will be seeking to extend her dominance, with her only real threat likely to come in the form of countrywoman and synchro partner He Zi.

“We are very excited about the quality of the competition and we are hoping for capacity crowds,” said Ahmad Al Falasi, President of the UAE Swimming Federation.

“Many of the competitors will be vying for selection for the 2013 Fina World Championships in Barcelona in July, so will be doing their utmost to impress their national selectors. Fans are in for a real treat.”

The event runs over three days, beginning with the 10m platform synchro finals on Thursday, March 21, from 10am, followed by the opening ceremony at 5pm and the three-metre springboard synchro finals from 6-8pm.

Friday’s three-metre individual springboard semi-finals session runs from 10am to midday, with the finals from 5-7pm. The final day of competition on the Saturday sees the 10m platform semi-finals from 10am to midday, followed by the finals from 5-7pm.

Tickets will be available on the door at the Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Sports Complex on the Dubai Bypass Road, costing Dh20 per day or Dh40 for a three-day pass. VIP tickets cost Dh40 per day and Dh80 for the full three days.