GERMANY: OLYMPICS - German diver Patrick Hausding watching out for the Chinese competition at London's 2012 Olympic Games

Record ID: 330830

  • Title: GERMANY: OLYMPICS - German diver Patrick Hausding watching out for the Chinese competition at London's 2012 Olympic Games
  • Date: 12th July 2012
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JULY 4, 2012) (REUTERS) DIVER PATRICK HAUSDING DIVING FROM BOARD HAUSDING STANDING ON BOARD VARIOUS OF HAUSDING DIVING HAUSDING'S TRAINER JAN KRETZSCHMAR GIVING INSTRUCTIONS FROM SIDE OF POOL KRETZSCHMAR LOOKING AT DIVE ON SCREEN VARIOUS OF HAUSDING DIVING VARIOUS VIEWS OF BEHIND AS HAUSDING DIVES HAUSDING IN WATER (VIEW UNDER WATER) (SOUNDBITE) (German) TRAINER OF THE GERMAN DIVERS, JAN KRETZSCHMAR, SAYING: "When you go to the Olympics, it's clear that you would like to return home with a medal. At the same time, we know of course that the world's best have made amazing progress, especially the men. The world's best are very closely placed behind each other. We have to consider the Chinese in first place. After them, from second place to eighth place, everything is possible. That's how close the top men's divers are placed." HAUSDING SITTING ON DIVING BOARD (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DIVER, PATRICK HAUSDING, SAYING: "My priority is the synchronised 10-metre event because that's where we did best over the past few years. We won medals in Beijing already and we're now trying to repeat that. My second focus is on the 3-metre single dive, I believe I have pretty good chances to be up there with the world's top divers. That's my ambition but I can't yet say where that will take me." HAUSDING SITTING ON DIVING BOARD (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DIVER, PATRICK HAUSDING, SAYING: "This is a sport where you have no influence over the opponent and everyone is responsible for his own achievements. We know that the Chinese are world class and they have been for a long time. But we have also seen more than once that the Chinese can be beaten." HAUSDING'S FOOT (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DIVER, PATRICK HAUSDING, SAYING: "These are all elements needed to become the perfect board diver. I can't just stand on that board and try to turn as quickly as possible. There is a lot of athletics needed and a lot of coordination and weight training. That's why it might be a surprise for the spectators but it's normal for us." HAUSDING'S FOOT VARIOUS OF HAUSDING DOING FORWARD FLIP IN TRAINING ROOM VARIOUS OF HAUSDING TRAINING ON TRAMPOLINE VARIOUS OF HAUSDING DOING WEIGHTS VARIOUS OF HAUSDING DOING SIT UPS HAUSDING DOING SIT UPS ON MAT HAUSDING LYING ON MAT
  • Embargoed: 27th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAARKBI82LW2S18NVQLJ4NY9FK6
  • Story Text: German diver Patrick Hausding won a silver medal in the men's synchronised 10-metre platform at the Beijing 2008 Olympics but to move a notch higher in London later this month he knows he must beat the mighty Chinese.
    The 23-year-old, who will again be partnered by Sascha Klein as Germany look for another diving medal, said China presented a formidable obstacle in his quest for gold.
    "This is a sport where you have no influence over the opponent and everyone is responsible for his own achievements," Hausding told Reuters Television in an interview.
    "We know that the Chinese are world class and they have been for a long time. But we have also seen more than once that the Chinese can be beaten."
    Training in Berlin, the German, who has won the European synchronised 10-metre title five times in a row, is also planning an assault on a medal in the 3-metre springboard event.
    "My priority is the synchronised 10-metre event because that's where we did best over the past few years. We won medals in Beijing already and we're now trying to repeat that."
    "My second focus is on the 3-metre single dive because I believe I have pretty good chances to be up there with the world's top divers. That's my ambition but I can't yet say where that will take me," he said under the watchful eye of coach Jan Kretzschmar.
    Kretzschmar knows all too well how hard winning a medal, any medal, will be for his athlete.
    Chinese divers won seven of eight possible gold medals in Beijing, including in Hausding's competition, only narrowly failing a clean medal sweep when Australian Matthew Mitcham snatched the 10-metre platform gold.
    The Chinese have, however, already flexed their muscles ahead of the July 27-Aug 12 Games, sweeping the gold medals at the FINA/Midea Diving World Series in Dubai in March.
    "When you go to the Olympics it's clear that you would like to return home with a medal," said Kretzschmar. "At the same time, we know of course that the world's best have made amazing progress, especially the men."
    "The world's best are very closely placed behind each other. We have to consider the Chinese in first place. After them, from second place to eighth place, everything is possible. That's how close the top men's divers are placed," said the coach.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Video restrictions: parts of this video may require additional clearances. Please see ‘Business Notes’ for more information.
Register