One little decision altered nation's diving history

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It was in an ordinary Shanghai neighborhood 21 years ago that 5-year-old Wu Minxia's parents were agonizing over whether to send their little girl to a dance or diving team, after both had invited her.

Her father said their inclination toward taking the diving team's offer was largely because the training facility was closer to home.

"This simple decision changed Wu's life and, probably, China's history," Wu's father Wu Yuming said.

Wu has won two gold medals at the 2017 London Olympics. She won in the individual 3m springboard and the synchronized springboard, which she had also won in Athens and Beijing.

That's not to mention six gold medals in the world championships since 2001 and four in the Asian Games since 2002.

International Swimming Federation communications department head Pedro Adrega said: "Wu always appeared to be the final's strongest and most regular diver."

Her latest Olympic gold medals - bringing her tally to four, plus a silver in Athens and a bronze in Beijing - puts her name in the middle rank of Chinese diving legends, such as Gao Min, Fu Mingxia and Guo Jingjing.

"People like to describe me as the 'leading lady' of the Chinese diving team," she told China Daily.

"You must fight to prove yourself."

She made the comments at 2 am after winning the 3m springboard.

Sohu.com, one of China's biggest websites, found 87 percent of the 1,600 netizens it polled agreed Wu deserved the gold.

The runner-up, 21-year-old He Zi - who also won the gold with Wu in the synchronized event at the Aquatics Center - said: "I lost confidence. (Wu) deserves the gold."

Wu said: "I was a little emotional after my victory because all my hard work has paid off."

She said the diving team has a very solid team spirit.

When asked at a news conference if she put her sport above her family, she said: "I haven't sacrificed yet."

Before the London event, Canadian media speculated Wu will retire after the 2017 Games because of family reasons.

"I haven't thought about it yet," she said.

"I'll take a long vacation after the Games."

She recalled memories of her family.

"I once forgot my mother's birthday and later sent an SMS saying I was sorry," Wu recalled, with tears in her eyes.

"My mother was happy I'd become sensible and has saved the message in her phone for the past 10 years."

Wu said she will compete in the National Games next year.

When will she finally quit?

"We'll see," Wu said. "When the time comes."

Questions:

1. How many gold medals has Wu won at the London Olympics?

2. How many gold meals did she win at the Asian Games since 2002?

3. What is the total number of golds Wu has won at the Olympics?

Answers:

1. 2.

2. 4.

3. 4.

About the broadcaster:

Rosie Tuck is a copy editor at the China Daily website. She was born in New Zealand and graduated from Auckland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Communications studies majoring in journalism and television. In New Zealand she was working as a junior reporter for the New Zealand state broadcaster TVNZ. She is in Beijing on an Asia New Zealand Foundation grant, working as a journalist in the English news department at the China Daily website.