Head coach of the Russian diving team Svetlana Moiseeva believes that the issue of tightening the age limit in diving is not yet on the agenda, because young victories mainly occur in a single discipline and it has become a methodology to train champions in China.
China’s Chen Yuxi and Kwan Hongchang won the synchronized platform diving event at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Budapest. Chen Yuxi is 16 years old, Olympic champion Quan Hongchan is 15 years old.
– In principle, according to age on the women’s platform, it has always been like this. As a rule, the Chinese have such a strategy on the tower, young lightweight athletes who easily cope with their difficult jumps, Moiseeva told . – Of course, there are athletes who are retarded, but it is very likely that if an athlete wins the Olympics at sixteen on the tower, we will not see her as an individual at the next one. Among the exceptions, Chen Ruolin, who lasted a long time. At the third Rio Olympics, she only jumped in synch, she looked heavy. I think it was put on the strength of past merits.
– And if, following modern realities, the age limit is tightened to 16, the probability that the Chinese will win will remain the same high?
– I think there will be a more open fight. Today, it is simply an insurmountable advantage. Although who knows, the Chinese will adapt, they have a wide choice of athletes. In any case, since this only applies to women’s tricks, no one dwells on it.
– During the world championships, it became known that Masha Polyakova was elected to the FINA Athletes’ Commission. Hoping to be selected?
– We are happy for Masha, and I congratulate her. She was nominated because she is sociable and knows good English, studied in the United States at university and is very favorable to the development of diving. She knows how to clearly express her position and will not hesitate to convey it to everyone. In light of recent events, we weren’t really expecting her to be chosen. Thank you to FINA for wisely managing these elections which took into account the rights of all athletes.
Source : MatchTV
