Olympic champion Guo Jingjing clinched the title of women's 3-meter springboard at 2005 Montreal World Aquatic Championships in rain on Friday. 

The weather was not so friendly to those diving girls. It began from the fourth round of the 3m springboard final.

When Wu Minxia, silver medalist of this event at the Athens Olympics, stepped onto the springboard as the 11th starter, the rain suddenly became heavy. Obviously, Wu's action was affected by the rain to some extent, as 65.10 points for this dive were the lowest in the scores of her total five dives.

Later, after the first two divers finished their last dives, the final had to be delayed by about 15 minutes due to the unbearable heavy rain. At last, Guo clinched her consecutive third world champion title in 3m springboard with a total score of 645.54 points.

Besides, it was Guo's fifth gold at World Aquatic Championships, as she also snatched two gold medals in 3m springboard synchronized event with "diving queen" Fu Ming Xia in 2001 and 2003.

Guo said she was very happy, because she performed very well and wasn't bothered by the rain at all.

Wu, who took victory in the 3m springboard synchronized event in Athens with Guo, had to settle for the second place again with 619.05 points. However, she said she cared little about the place in competition, but only her performances.

"I performed well today, so I'm very happy," said Wu.

Tania Cagnotto of Italy finished third with 591.27 points.

Both Guo and Wu expressed their thanks to a group of Chinese spectators. "I'm moved when so many Chinese spectators came to support us on the scene," said Guo. "The weather is so bad, but they still came here to cheer us."

It seemed that the Chinese divers were also involved in certain kind of "home factor," just as Canada's top diver Alexandre Despatie experienced here. After Despatie's each dive, there certainly was a deafening roar. Finally, the 20-year-old grabbed home two golds in men's 1m and 3m springboard.

Blythe Hartley, who took the host's first gold in women's 1m springboard failed to shatter the reign of the Chinese pair. She was ranked sixth with 557.97, while Russian veteran Yulia Pakhalina fifth with 581.04 points. The 27-year-old Russian diver placed third in the 3m springboard in Athens.

(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2005)