TOKYO, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Led by Olympic champions Shi Tingmao, Chen Aisen and Cao Yuan, China's diving team aims to test new pairs at the 2019 FINA Diving World Series from March 1 to 3 in Sagamihara, Japan.
China sent a 13-member team to the World Series, with all members being world champions except 14-year-old Lu Wei. Lu will compete in the women's 10m platform synchro event with Zhang Jiaqi.
China renewed five of its six synchro pairs during the winter and the Lu/Zhang duo is the youngest one. Shi Tingmao/Wang Han will show up in the women's 3m springboard synchro after their last competition at the 2010 Asian Games.
Cao Yuan, 2012 Olympic champion in the men's 10m platform synchro and 2016 gold medalist in the 3m springboard, will participate in three events in Sagamihara, including individual and synchro in the 3m springboard and the 10m platform synchro with Chen Aisen.
"I have trained on both springboard and platform for many years. But it is the first time I compete in the World Series in three events. Chen Aisen and I have a pretty good start, and what we need is more synchro experience," Cao said on February 16 after the new pair won the first leg of China's Diving Qualification meet for the FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
Chang Yani/Yang Hao will compete in the mixed 3m springboard synchro and Si Yajie/Lian Junjie in the mixed 10m platform synchro.
The FINA Diving World Series is an annual competition which invites only internationally-recognized divers, most of whom are medalists from previous Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cups.
The World Series was inaugurated in 2007 and China has so far swept 49 medals to top the overall medal tally, with Russia in second with 19 medals and Canada third on 13.
The five legs for the 2019 World Series are March 1-3 Sagamihara (Japan), March 7-9 Beijing (China), April 26-28 Montreal (Canada), May 10-12 Kazan (Russia) and May 17-19 London (Britain).
