CHINA yesterday ensured its home Olympics will go down as the country’s greatest ever after the hosts eclipsed the previous best tally of 32 gold medals at Athens in 2004, ending the day with 43.
In the drive to beat the previous mark, it is fielding 639 competitors in Beijing, up from the 407 sent to Greece.
China bagged four medals yesterday.
The 42nd medal came when Lu Chunlong won the men’s trampoline, giving China a sweep of the gold medals in the event. Lu, who led after qualifying, scored 41.00 points to outdo Canada’s Jason Burnett, who got the silver with 40.70.
He Chong won the gold medal of the men’s 3-meter springboard diving last night. It is the sixth diving gold medal for China at the Games.
Canada’s Alexandre Despatie took the silver and another Chinese Qin Kai won the bronze.
China also has 14 silvers and 19 bronzes, to the United States’ 26 golds, 26 silvers and 27 bronzes.
The United States topped the medal tally at the 2004 Games, with 35 golds.
(SD-Agencies)
(Clockwise) He Chong competes in the men’s 3-meter springboard diving in Beijing yesterday. He won the 43rd gold for China.
Lu Chunlong celebrates after winning the men’s trampoline, China’s 42nd gold.
Zou Kai competes on the men’s high bar last night. He gave China its 41st gold, the seventh for the Chinese men gymnasts at the Games.
Li Xiaopeng, the 2000 gold medalist on the bars and a two-time world champion, celebrates after winning gold on the parallel bars. It was China’s 40th gold and the sixth in gymnastics for the Chinese men.
Xinhua