Synchronized Springboard, Women

The two favorites were the Chinese – Guo Jingjing and Wu Minxia, and the Russians – Vera Ilyina and Yuliya Pakhalina. They had been 1-2 at the 2001 and 2003 World Championships, with the Chinese winning both titles. But Russia had won the 2002 World Cup with China second. In Athens Wu and Guo led throughout, opening up a 13-point lead after four dives, and winning comfortably although the Russian duo had the highest score of the competition in the final round to secure silver. In 2008, Guo and Wu would return to defend the gold medal, while Pakhalina would win silver, albeit with another partner.

Bronze went to the Australian pair of Irina Lashko and Chantelle Newbery. Newbery, the former Chantelle Michell, was the wife of Robert Newbery, who in 2000 and 2004 won three bronze medals in synchronized diving events. Lashko was competing in her fourth Olympics, having won silver on springboard in 1996 and 2000, but she was also competing for her fourth nation – the Soviet Union in 1988, the Unified Team in 1992, Russia in 1996, and after marrying an Australian, Australia in 2004.