The Chinese team was the dominant object of curiosity at the AT&T USA Diving Grand Prix. Everybody wanted to see the divers from the country that will try to sweep the gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.
Although China did not send its ''A'' team to the International Swimming Hall of Fame pool in Fort Lauderdale, it still won the medal count, with a total of seven (three golds, two silvers, two bronzes) in eight events. But the U.S. and Australia were close behind, with five each.
The Chinese did not win any of the three events contested Sunday under windy conditions that buffeted the divers' bodies and disturbed their concentration.
''They were scared of us,'' Australia's Matthew Helm said in jest, referring to the Chinese, whom he and partner Robert Newbery defeated to win the men's synchronized platform final.
The Aussies also held off Americans David Boudia and Thomas Finchum, who won the silver medal. The Indianapolis pair nailed the highest score of the event (92.34) on their last dive, a back dive with two somersaults and two twists in the pike position.
Yang Liguang and Hu Jia -- the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the individual platform event -- finished third after blowing their third dive.
''They usually don't make any mistakes,'' said Helm, who has the word ''Perfection'' tattooed in Chinese characters on his left upper arm and plans to have ''Absolute'' tattooed on his right.
PERFECT DIVE
Australia's Matthew Mitcham won the men's platform Sunday, scoring four perfect 10s on his fourth dive. He spent seven years training under Chinese coaches who were hired by the Australian Institute of Sport.
''A lot of countries are importing China's coaches because they have such impeccable technique and they know how to produce that for the judges,'' Mitcham said. ``Everyone holds China's divers in high regard, but they're not unbeatable -- that's the mentality the world has to have. And the world is catching up. It's going to take a lot of perseverance, I suppose.''
The women's 3-meter springboard final came down to the last dive, with .15 of a point separating Russia's Yulia Pakalina and China's He Zi. They both performed a forward dive with 2 ½ somersaults and one twist in the pike position, and both divers scored identical 72s to finish one-two by that same narrow margin.
''If I was to lose to the second Chinese team -- that's bad,'' Pakalina said. ``But on women's 3-meter, it's always tough to beat the Chinese. In other events, it's happening more and more -- they are getting beat.
``At the Olympics, I have to hope something happens, but nothing ever happens with them. They are beautiful divers, and they rarely miss anything.''
MAKING STRIDES
Ron O'Brien, high-performance director for USA Diving, said he was pleased with the Americans' showing in Fort Lauderdale, five weeks before the U.S. Olympic Diving Trials. Most divers train indoors, so they had to adjust to the wind, which caused wobbles, and the lack of midair visual cues at the outdoor ISHOF pool.
''We're winning medals, and when we're not, we're close,'' O'Brien said of the U.S. team, which was shut out of medals at the 2004 Athens Games. ``At the Olympics, all the pressure will be on the Chinese.''
Sunday was Australia's day to shine, especially the two Matts -- Helm, who won gold in synchro and silver in individual platform, and Mitcham, who won the biggest meet of his career.
Both took a year off from diving two years ago after training together for seven years because they were feeling burned out. Both also dive with body piercings; Helm has a stud in his navel, and Mitcham has one in his tongue.
Helm, 27, who won a silver medal in platform and a bronze medal with Newbery at the 2004 Olympics, has overcome two broken ankles, two broken thumbs and vertigo in the past year.
''It hasn't been the smoothest return, so to perform well here, especially under these conditions, makes me feel relieved and that it's been worth it,'' he said.
Mitcham was a trampoline gymnast who was ''monkeying around'' on the diving board one day when a national team coach -- a Chinese coach -- told him to try diving. Helm has been his role model ever since.
''I grew up aspiring to be like him,'' said Mitcham, 20. 'Before this competition I said, `How about if we try to tie for first?' ''
