Wang Xin and Chen Ruolin receive the gold medal.

Wang Xin and Chen Ruolin compete in diving.

The Chinese diving team hoped to win all of diving's eight gold medals. The two young divers, Chen Ruolin and Wang Xin, lived up to the expectations and won the gold of women's synchronized 10m platform finals held at the National Aquatics Center during the Beijing Olympic Games on August 12, 2008. Chen and Wang were not as well-known as Guo Jingjing and Wu Minxia, but they grew up like twins and won nearly all the singles and doubles diving events during and after the World Championship.

Chen Ruolin: Joined the National Team at 12

Chen was born in Jiangsu Province in 1992 and began diving at the age of four. She won three gold medals at the National Children Diving Championship in 2003. The next year, Chen took part in the National Diving Championship and placed fifth in the 10m platform diving. Then caught the attention of Zhou Jihong, the head of the Chinese diving team, and joined the national diving team that very year, when she was only about 12 years old.

After a very tough period of training, Chen began to take part in international competitions and won many medals. She showed that she had the potential to win a gold medal in the Olympics.

Gave Up Favorite Food

Chen's movements are nimble and standardized, but she once encountered some problems as she got heavier as she grew. She began to control her weight, refusing to eat her favorite food – ice cream and cake. She ate more vegetables and other nutritious foods instead.

Most Important Persons to Her

Because her parents are abroad, her grandparents are the most important people in Chen's life. Chen's grandmother phoned her nearly everyday to encourage her during competitions.

A Fan of Jay Chou

This Olympic champion is still like a child. She likes cartoons and even brought the disc Tom and Jerry with her to her training. Chen is also a fan of Jay Chou and can sing all of his songs.

Wang Xin: Excellent Performance in Diving

Wang Xin was born in Hubei Province in the same year, 1992, as Chen Ruolin and joined the national diving team in 2006. Although she had a short list of qualifications in the team, she had an excellent score in diving. After she and Chen entered as a pair in 10m platform diving events, they won nearly all the international diving meets.

Loving Cartoons and Magazines

Like Chen, Wang is also an ordinary child. Chen shares her favorite cartoons with Wang. Chen likes to read Story-Telling Gathering while Wang likes Reader.

Wang's birthday was the day before the competition. When asked what she wanted for her birthday, Wang wished for the gold medal.

"Lucky Pillow" Made by Mom

The reporters found a big blue pillow with little flowers in Wang's arms when she was training for the Olympics. She told them that it was a "lucky pillow" made for her by her mother. She takes it everywhere she goes because it will bring her good luck. This pillow is full of her mother's love.

Wang was born in a poor family. Her parents were both laid-off workers. They made a living by selling goods in a night market and Wang helped them after training.

Changed Her Name for Diving

"Wang Xin" is like a boy's name in Chinese. And because she has short hair, people often thought she was a boy. This annoyed Wang a little. She told the reporters that her original name was Wang Ruoxue, but she changed her name because "Ruo" means "weak" in Chinese.

Wang is the lightest athlete in the Beijing Olympics. She only weighs 28kg. Her partner, Chen, is the shortest at 1.36 meters.

(Source: Netease.com, Sohu.com / Translated by womenofchina.cn)