Wang Hao and Chen Ruolin easily won gold in the women’s 10-meter synchro. shanghai-fina2011.com

China's Chen Ruolin won her third successive world 10-meter platform synchronized title as the host nation maintained its domination of the diving competition at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai yesterday.

Earlier, Li Shixin scooped gold in the men's 1-meter springboard.

Chen combined with fellow teenager Wang Hao to clinch gold with an impressive 362.58 points, ahead of Australia's Alexandra Croak and Melissa Wu (325.92), while Christin Steuer and Nora Subschinski of Germany (316.29) clinched bronze.

The 19-year-old Chen, who is also the Olympic champion in the event, had won her two previous world titles with different partners, Jia Tong in Melbourne in 2007 and fellow Beijing winner Wang Xin at Rome in 2009.

China has now won all four of the diving finals in the first three days of the championships. Overall it has seven medals, including three silvers and a bronze.

"I am quite excited. I am still suffering from a waist injury but it didn't cause much trouble in today's competition" Chen told reporters.

"I will also enter the 10-meter platform event on Wednesday, so I must stay focused. I'm looking forward to it."

Since Chinese superstar Guo Jingjing retired in January, Chen has been considered her successor.

"I don't want to think too much about it," she said. "My performance will be affected. Although the 10-meter platform gold is also important, it is not my goal. My goal is the London Games."

The Chinese pair led from start to finish, essentially cementing victory after the third round when they scored 81.90 points from a forward 3-1/2 somersault pike.

The tussle for the silver, however, was the most intriguing battle at the outdoor pool at the Oriental Sports Centre with Canada, Germany, Britain and Australia all within eight points of each other until the penultimate round.

The Canadian duo of Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion, however, blew their chance when they scored just 60.39 points on their fourth dive with their splash on entry reaching nearly as high as the adjacent three-meter platform.

Britain's Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow increased the pressure with a solid 77.76 points in the final round, moving to 314.52 points, though the Germans and the Australians responded with polished dives to ensure they completed the podium.

Second dive

Li scored 463.90 points while compatriot He Min, who blew his second dive before finishing strongly, claimed silver on 444.00 points after scoring an impressive 81.60 points on his final dive.

Germany's Pavlo Rozenberg finished third on 436.50 points.

"You don't know how exited I am now. I didn't execute one of the dives well enough. But it didn't affect my competition," said Li.

"This is my first time to take part in the world championships. It means my effort during the years has paid off. I am very delighted with the gold medal."

Also, Russia's Natalia Ishchenko scooped her 12th world championships gold as she combined with Svetlana Romashina to win the synchronized swimming duets technical competition yesterday.

China's Huang Xuechen, who clinched silver behind Ishchenko in the solo competition, was second with Liu Ou on 96.50.

Spain's Andrea Fuentes won her second bronze of the championships after she and Ona Carbonell combined to score 95.40 points.