Chantelle Newbery clinches women's 10m platform title for Australia

Chantelle Newbery of Australia staged a surprise in the women's 10m platform final when she beat several favorites to win Sunday at the Olympic Games.

The 27-year-old Newbery was the most consistent diver of the night when the synchronized 3m springboard bronze medalist won in 590.31 points, beating Chinese teenager Lao Lishi to the second place in 576.30.

Loudy Tourky, silver medalist in the synchronize platform at last year's Barcelona world championships, brought a bronze to Australia, 28.65 off the pace.

World champion Emilie Heymans missed the podium when the 24- year-old Canadian blundered her last dive, collecting only 58.14.

Heymans, boasting of the highest degree of dive difficulty, finished fourth in 555.03.

Defending champion Laura Wilkinson of the United States had to settle for the fifth in 549.72 while reigning Olympic synchronized platform winner Li Ting was sixth in 546.48.

"It was a pity that Lao made little mistake in her fourth dive. Otherwise, she would have been able to claim the title,"said Chinese team leader Zhou Jihong, women's platform titlist in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The 17-year-old Lao, winner of the synchronized platform here, dove into the water slanting when she was doing a back 3 1/2 somersault.

"But Chantelle has always been a strong title contender. She made the least mistakes and she won," said Zhou.

Following are the results of women' s 10m platform diving final at Athens Olympic Games on August 22.

1. Chantelle Newbery, Australia, 590.31 points

2. Lao Lishi, China, 576.30

3. Loudy Tourky, Australia, 561.66

4. Emilie Heymans, Canada, 555.03

5. Laura Wilkinson, United States, 549.72

6. Li Ting, China, 546.48

7. Myriam Boileau, Canada, 530.25

8. Tania Cagnotto, Italy, 518.67