Wu Minxia (; born 10 November 1985) is a retired Chinese

diver Diver or divers may refer to: *Diving (sport), the sport of performing acrobatics while jumping or falling into water *Practitioner of underwater diving, including: **scuba diving, **freediving, **surface-supplied diving, **saturation diving, a ...

, specializing in the 1 metre and 3 metre

springboard A springboard or diving board is used for diving and is a board that is itself a spring, i.e. a linear flex-spring, of the cantilever type. Springboards are commonly fixed by a hinge at one end (so they can be flipped up when not in use), an ...

, and synchronized 3 metre springboard events. Entering her first major championship in 2001, Wu represented China at every

Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until th ...

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a multi ...

and

FINA World Aquatics Championships The FINA World Championships or World Aquatics Championships are the World Championships for aquatics sports: swimming, diving, high diving, open water swimming, artistic swimming, and water polo. They are run by FINA, and all swimming events ar ...

through 2016. She is an eight-time world champion, and a five-time Olympic and Asian champion, making her one of the most decorated divers in history.

Career

Wu began her competitive career at the

2001 World Aquatics Championships right The 2001 World Aquatics Championships or the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships were held in Fukuoka, Japan between 16 July and 29 July 2001. The opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the swimming and synchronised swimming event ...

, partnering with

Guo Jingjing Guo Jingjing (; born October 15, 1981, in Baoding, Hebei) is a retired Chinese female diver, and multi-time Olympic gold medalist and world champion. Guo is tied with her partner Wu Minxia for winning the most Olympic medals (6) of any female ...

to win the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard. She would go on to retain the title with Guo on another three occasions, missing out in 2005 when Guo partnered with Li Ting to win in Montreal. Wu also won the same event with Guo at the

2002 Asian Games The 2002 Asian Games ( ko, 2002년 아시아 경기대회/2002년 아시안 게임, Icheoni-nyeon Asia gyeonggi daehoe/Icheoni-nyeon Asian Geim), officially known as the XIV Asian Games ( ko, 제14회 아시아 경기대회/제14회 아시안 � ...

. Wu represented China at the 2004 Summer Olympics, earning a gold medal in the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard along with Guo Jingjing before winning a silver medal in the 3 metre women's springboard, coming in second place behind Guo. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Wu earned a gold medal in the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard along with Guo before winning a bronze medal in the 3 metre women's springboard, coming in third place behind Guo and Russian

Julia Pakhalina Yuliya Vladimirovna Pakhalina (russian: link=no, Юлия Владимировна Пахалина, born 12 September 1977) is a Russian diver. She won the gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics in the 3m Synchronized Springboard with partner ...

. After Guo's retirement, she participated in synchronized events with

He Zi He Zi (; born 11 December 1990 in Nanning, Guangxi) is an Olympic medal winning Chinese female diver, specialising in the 1 meter springboard, 3 meter springboard and 3 meter synchronised dive. Career Among her achievements are: * 2006 – ...

. The new partnership allowed her to retain the 3 metre synchro title at the

2011 World Aquatics Championships The 14th FINA World Championships () were held on 16–31 July 2011 in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. The 2011 World Championships featured five aquatics disciplines: swimming, water polo, diving, open water, and s ...

. It was at the same championships in her hometown where she won her only other world championship title, in the 3 metre springboard. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wu earned a gold medal in the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard along with He, becoming the first woman to win gold medal in a diving event in three consecutive Olympic Games. She also won a gold medal in the 3 metre springboard event. After the 3 metre springboard competition, it was revealed that her parents withheld information that her grandmother died a year before, and that her mother had cancer. Her father said he misled her to keep her focused on training. The news drew criticism in China. By winning the 3m synchronized springboard event at the

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...

and 2015 World Championships with new partner

Shi Tingmao Shi Tingmao (; born 31 August 1991) is a Chinese diver representing Chongqing diving team. She has been dominant in the 3 metre springboard events in the 2010s. She has won four gold medals in Olympic competitions, two at the 2016 Olympics and t ...

, Wu became the first person to win seven gold medals in the event. At the

2014 Asian Games The 2014 Asian Games ( ko, 2014년 아시아 경기대회/2014년 아시안 게임, Icheon sip-sa nyeon Asia gyeonggi daehoe/Icheon sip-sa nyeon Asian Geim), officially known as the 17th Asian Games ( ko, 제17회 아시아 경기대회/제17회 ...

and the 2016 Summer Olympics, Wu earned a gold medal in the 3 metre women's synchronized springboard along with Shi.

Personal life

On 12 May 2017, Wu accepted a marriage proposal by boyfriend Zhang Xiaocheng. The couple were married on 17 May, with the wedding ceremony being held in Fuping, Shaanxi. Their daughter was born on 19 December 2018, and son was born on 7 February 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wu, Minxia 1985 births Living people Chinese female divers Divers at the 2004 Summer Olympics Divers at the 2008 Summer Olympics Divers at the 2012 Summer Olympics Divers at the 2016 Summer Olympics Olympic divers of China Olympic bronze medalists for China Olympic gold medalists for China Olympic silver medalists for China Divers from Shanghai Olympic medalists in diving Asian Games medalists in diving Divers at the 2002 Asian Games Divers at the 2006 Asian Games Divers at the 2010 Asian Games Divers at the 2014 Asian Games Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics World Aquatics Championships medalists in diving Asian Games gold medalists for China Asian Games silver medalists for China Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games Medalists at the 2006 Asian Games Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games Universiade medalists in diving Universiade gold medalists for China Medalists at the 2003 Summer Universiade Medalists at the 2005 Summer Universiade The Amazing Race contestants 21st-century Chinese women

Career

Personal life

See also

References