Wu Minxia

Chinese diver

Wu Minxia
Wu Minxia in 2008
Personal information
NationalityChinese
Born (1985-11-10) 10 November 1985 (age 38)
Shanghai, China
Height1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight53 kg (117 lb)
Sport
SportDiving
Event(s)1 m, 3 m, 3 m synchro
PartnerGuo Jingjing
Former partnerGuo Jingjing
Coached byYuan Lianying
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 5 1 1
World Championships 8 5 1
FINA Diving World Cup 7 4 1
Summer Universiade 6 1 0
Asian Games 5 1
Total 31 12 3
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2012 London 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2012 London 3 m springboard
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro 3 m synchro
Silver medal – second place 2004 Athens 3 m springboard
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Beijing 3 m springboard
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2001 Fukuoka 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2003 Barcelona 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2007 Melbourne 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2009 Rome 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2011 Shanghai 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2011 Shanghai 3 m springboard
Gold medal – first place 2013 Barcelona 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2015 Kazan 3 m synchro springboard
Silver medal – second place 2001 Fukuoka 1 m springboard
Silver medal – second place 2005 Montréal 1 m springboard
Silver medal – second place 2005 Montréal 3 m springboard
Silver medal – second place 2007 Melbourne 3 m springboard
Silver medal – second place 2009 Rome 1 m springboard
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Barcelona 3 m springboard
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Busan 3 m synchro
Gold medal – first place 2006 Doha 1 m springboard
Gold medal – first place 2006 Doha 3 m springboard
Gold medal – first place 2010 Guangzhou 1 m springboard
Gold medal – first place 2014 Incheon 3 m synchro
Silver medal – second place 2002 Busan 3 m springboard
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 2003 Daegu Team
Gold medal – first place 2003 Daegu 1m Springboard
Gold medal – first place 2003 Daegu 3m Springboard
Gold medal – first place 2003 Daegu Synchro Springboard
Gold medal – first place 2005 Izmir Team
Gold medal – first place 2005 Izmir 1m Springboard
Silver medal – second place 2005 Izmir 3m Springboard

Wu Minxia (simplified Chinese: 吴敏霞; traditional Chinese: 吳敏霞; pinyin: Wú Mǐnxiá; born 10 November 1985) is a retired Chinese diver, specializing in the 1 metre and 3 metre springboard, and synchronized 3 metre springboard events. Entering her first major championship in 2001, Wu represented China at every Asian Games, Olympic Games and FINA World Aquatics Championships through 2016. She is an eight-time world champion, and a five-time Olympic and Asian champion, making her one of the most decorated divers in history.

Career

Wu began her competitive career at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, partnering with Guo Jingjing to win the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard. She would go on to retain the title with Guo on another three occasions, missing out in 2005 when Guo partnered with Li Ting to win in Montreal. Wu also won the same event with Guo at the 2002 Asian Games.

Wu represented China at the 2004 Summer Olympics, earning a gold medal in the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard along with Guo Jingjing before winning a silver medal in the 3 metre women's springboard, coming in second place behind Guo. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Wu earned a gold medal in the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard along with Guo before winning a bronze medal in the 3 metre women's springboard, coming in third place behind Guo and Russian Julia Pakhalina. After Guo's retirement, she participated in synchronized events with He Zi.[1]

The new partnership allowed her to retain the 3 metre synchro title at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships. It was at the same championships in her hometown where she won her only other world championship title, in the 3 metre springboard. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wu earned a gold medal in the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard[2] along with He, becoming the first woman to win gold medal in a diving event in three consecutive Olympic Games.[3] She also won a gold medal in the 3 metre springboard event. After the 3 metre springboard competition, it was revealed that her parents withheld information that her grandmother died a year before, and that her mother had cancer. Her father said he misled her to keep her focused on training. The news drew criticism in China.[4]

By winning the 3m synchronized springboard event at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships with new partner Shi Tingmao, Wu became the first person to win seven gold medals in the event.[1] At the 2014 Asian Games and the 2016 Summer Olympics, Wu earned a gold medal in the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard along with Shi.[5]

Personal life

On 12 May 2017, Wu accepted a marriage proposal by boyfriend Zhang Xiaocheng. The couple were married on 17 May, with the wedding ceremony being held in Fuping, Shaanxi. Their daughter was born on 19 December 2018, and son was born on 7 February 2022.[6][7][8][9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Wu Minxia ready to hit the gold trail again". FINA. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  2. ^ "London Olympics: China's Wu wins gold in women's 3m springboard". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  3. ^ CTV, CTV 2012 London Summer Olympics, airdate: 29 July 2012, circa 11:00am EDT
  4. ^ Minxia: Chinese Diver’s Parents Hid Family Illness, Deaths from Her. Time. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Rio Olympics 2016: Wu wins fifth diving gold for China". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  6. ^ "结束8年恋爱长跑!吴敏霞含泪接受男友求婚(图)". iFeng. 12 May 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  7. ^ "跳水女皇吴敏霞大婚 穿中式嫁衣似天仙". iFeng. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  8. ^ "吴敏霞产女升级当妈妈 老公晒宝宝可爱照片报喜". Sina. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  9. ^ "视频:奥运冠军吴敏霞宣布好消息 二胎儿子出生". Sina Video. 7 February 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
Awards
Preceded by FINA Female Diver of the Year
2011, 2012
Succeeded by
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Xinhua News Agency's Top Ten Chinese Athletes of the Year
1999
  • Sun Wen (Football)
  • Xie Jun (Chess)
  • Liu Guoliang (Table tennis)
  • Liu Hongyu (Athletics)
  • Wang Nan (Table tennis)
  • Dong Zhen (Gymnastics)
  • Chen Hua (Swimming)
  • Sun Jun (Badminton)
  • Li Jiajun (Short track speed skating)
  • Shi Zhiyong (Weightlifting)
2000
2001
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2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
  • No selection due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021
2022
2023