Gao Min
(BOCOG)
Updated: 2007-07-29 18:35

   Personal best:

    1988 & 1992 Olympic Games - 1st 3m springboard

    Sports career:

    Learned to swim at age four. Took up gymnastics in Zigong Spare-time Sports School at nine. Began platform diving training after being spotted by a diving coach in the school. Chosen by the Sichuan provincial team in 1980. Joined the national team for intensified training in 1985.

    High performances:

    1983 World Age Group Swimming Championships - two titles
    1986 World Swimming Championships - 1st springboard & team
    1986 International Tournaments in East Germany & Canada - 1st springboard
    1987 World Cup - 1st springboard
    1988 Seoul Olympic Games - 1st springboard (580.23 pts, China's first Olympic Gold in springboard diving.)
    1988 New Zealand International Invitational - 1st springboard
    1988 Australia International Invitational - 1st springboard
    1988 Canada International Tournament - 1st springboard
    1989 World Cup - 1st 1m & 3m springboard, team & mixed team
    1990 Australia International Tournament - 1st 1m & 3m springboard
    1990 China International Tournament - 1st springboard
    1990 Jinan Four-Nation Tournament - 1st springboard
    1990 US Goodwill Games - 1st 1m & 3m springboard
    1990 Beijing Asian Games - 1st 1m & 3m springboard, 1st team
    1992 Barcelona Olympic Games - 1st springboard Reputed as "Diving Queen"

    Honours:

    1983 - Awarded the title of Master of Sports
    1986 - Awarded the title of International Master of Sports
    1987, 1988 & 1989 - Thrice Named World Best Diver of the year by US magazine Swimming World Awarded National Sports Medal of Honour for four times by the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission
    1986, 1987 & 1988 - Selected one of National Top Ten Divers
    1988, 1989 & 1990 - Selected one of National Top Ten Athletes
    1989 - Voted one of 40 Sports Stars in 40 years since the founding of new China in 1949

    With her excellent physical qualities, good flexibility and coordination and exceptional rip entry technique, she often excelled others in the quality of her dives rather than in the degree of difficulty. Still more important is her highly competitive character, which made her stick at nothing in any circumstances, whether in training or in competitions. As the only woman diver breaking the 600-point barrier, she fully deserved the title "Diving Queen."

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