Shi Tingmao (front) and Wang Han of China hug each other during the women's synchronised 3m springboard final of diving at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, July 25, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)
TOKYO, July 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Shi Tingmao and Wang Han are getting closer to the podium in the women's 3m springboard, as Shi led the preliminary with 350.45 points, ahead of Wang's 347.25 on Friday.
Twenty-seven athletes competed for Saturday's 18 semifinal with top 12 to advance into the final on Sunday.
After Shi took the gold in both the women's 3m springboard and the women's synchronised 3m springboard at Rio 2016, she is expected to claim her second medal at Tokyo after triumphing in the women's synchronised 3m springboard with Wang days before.
Canada's Jennifer Abel and Pamela Ware secured the third and fourth spots with 332.40 points and 330.10 respectively.
Caeleb Dressel of the USA led the semifinalists in the men's 50m freestyle at 21.32 seconds, only 0.65 seconds faster than the last qualifier.
"You can't let off the gas too much. I knew where I was in that race. I didn't want to expend more energy than I needed to, so inside the flags I just kind of lofted in. It's about managing your energy, mentally and physically," said Dressel.
Dressel already had two golds from men's 100m freestyle and men's 4x100m freestyle relay at Tokyo.
Emma McKeon of Australia refreshed the Olympic record in heats of the women's 50m freestyle in 24.02 seconds. China's Zhang Yufei, Wu Qinfeng and Siobhan Bernadette Haughey from China's Hong Kong all advanced into the semifinals.
The finalists were also settled for men's 1500m freestyle, men's 4x100m medley relay and women's 4x100m medley relay. China made the final of the two relays.
