China's Wang extends winning run, teenager Jiang makes breakthrough at Diving World Cup Super Final

BEIJING -- Olympic champion Wang Zongyuan of China won his fourth straight 3m springboard gold at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final, while his 15-year-old compatriot Jiang Linjing triumphed in the women's 10m platform to claim her first Super Final title here on Saturday.

Individual events of the Super Final adopt a head-to-head format, as the top 12 divers of each event are divided into six pairs based on their seeding. Each athlete chooses three dives to perform in head-to-head competitions, and the lower scorer in each pairing gets eliminated. In the semifinals, the remaining six divers are sent into two groups with the top two of each advancing to the final.

The 24-year-old Wang topped the podium with 544.35 points, ahead of his teammate Zheng Jiuyuan in the second place, while Osmar Olvera Ibarra of Mexico took bronze in the men's 3m springboard.

"It was a demanding format indeed, posing a new challenge for us. I noticed the physical fitness of each diver declined in the final somewhat," said Wang. "I felt honored to retain the title and will keep working on the details."

"I didn't find my rhythm in the head-to-head and the semifinals, but I got better in the final to secure the silver. I think I have made some progress in pace and body control in the past year," said Zheng, 22, who claimed the men's 3m synchronized title together with Wang on Friday.