During the May Day holiday, the 2025 World Aquatics Diving World Cup Final unfolded in fierce competition at the National Aquatics Center, known as the “Water Cube.” In the end, China’s diving “Dream Team” secured a total of 13 medals, claiming 9 gold and 4 silver. Chen Yuxi and Zhu Zifeng were named the Best Female and Male Athletes of the 2025 Diving World Cup Final, respectively.

In the synchronized events of this final, the men’s synchronized events were dominated by newcomers. The men's synchronized 3m springboard duo, Hu Yukang and Zheng Jiuyuan, only teamed up earlier this year. They earned one gold and one silver in the previous two legs of the World Cup. In the final held at the Water Cube, the pair performed exceptionally, giving Team China an early victory. Zheng Jiuyuan said, “In the first two legs, we didn’t know each other well yet—we had only been working together for two months. By the third leg, we had developed a better understanding of each other’s rhythm.”

Another new duo, 19-year-old Cheng Zilong and 22-year-old Zhu Zifeng, competed in the men’s synchronized 10m platform. Despite their youth, they delivered a stable performance and, following their gold medals in the previous two World Cup legs, once again stood atop the podium in the final.

In the women’s synchronized events, Olympic champion pairs Chen Yiwen/Chang Yani and Chen Yuxi/Quan Hongchan claimed gold in the women's synchronized 3m springboard and 10m platform, respectively, without any surprises. This was the first time Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan had paired up in a synchronized event since the Paris Olympics, and their chemistry remained strong—especially in synchronization. Chen Yuxi commented, “After returning from Paris, we didn’t have much time to train together, so I’m quite satisfied with how well we synced in this competition.”

The mixed team event featured three Olympic champions—Chen Yiwen, Wang Zongyuan, and Chen Yuxi—alongside rising star Cheng Zilong. This team also secured the gold medal with ease.

A brand-new format was adopted for the individual events in this Diving World Cup Final: head-to-head elimination. The preliminary, semifinal, and final rounds were all held within a tight two-hour window, heightening suspense and intensity. In the preliminaries, 12 athletes competed under an elimination system for six semifinal spots. After three rounds of competition, the highest scorers in each group advanced. In the semifinals, cumulative scores—including those from head-to-head duels—were tallied. Athletes also needed to complete three remaining dives from the full dive list. The top two scorers from each group then entered the finals, where all previous scores were reset, and the four finalists had to complete the full dive list again.

The new format demanded exceptional physical fitness and mental focus. Men’s 3m springboard champion Wang Zongyuan said, “The new format is a huge challenge for us athletes. First comes the one-on-one duel, then a three-person showdown where one gets eliminated. This requires you to stay in peak condition and highly focused from start to finish.” After finishing second in the women’s 10m platform, Quan Hongchan summed up the new format with one word: “exhausting.” She added, “I think the new format is quite tiring, but you just have to get used to it. Who knows what challenges will come in the future? You have to overcome them.”

For spectators, however, the new format made the competition more suspenseful and exciting. “This format is more entertaining and engaging for the audience,” said Wang Zongyuan.

A notable highlight was the women’s 3m springboard final, where newcomer Chen Jia—who had only been on the national team for six months—claimed gold with a total score of 382.05 points.

As the first international competition in the lead-up to the Los Angeles Olympics, the 2025 Diving World Cup Final saw Team China achieve a complete sweep. After a brief post-Paris Olympic recovery period and some generational transitions, the national diving team delivered a flawless performance. Veterans remained solid, and young divers rose to the occasion, showcasing the depth of talent within the “Dream Team” and getting the new Olympic cycle off to a perfect start.