by Lin Xinyi

A TOTAL of 34 divers from 17 countries competed over two days at the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex.

One competitor who has already made waves in the international arena is China's Zhang Yanquan.

Last month, he marked his international debut in the men's 10m platform by winning the gold at the final leg of the 2009 Fina Diving Grand Prix in Madrid. The field included Australia's 2008 Olympic champion Matthew Mitcham.

Yanquan, who turned 15 earlier this month, has been hailed by the Chinese media as the rising star of diving - a sport China have traditionally dominated.

Following Yanquan's performance in the final at the China National Diving Championships last year, Zhou Jihong, the director of the Chinese national team and China's first diving gold medallist, labelled him 'the next Tian Liang'.

Asked what it is like being compared to the 2000 and 2004 Olympic champion, Yanquan said: 'It's a real honour. But I have to keep my head down and keep working hard.'

Since he started competing internationally this year, he has also enjoyed success in synchronised diving with partner Cao Yuan. They won the 3m springboard title in the Mexico leg and the 10m platform gold in the Sheffield leg of the Fina Diving World Series.

Yanquan may be the favourite to capture the boys' 10m platform gold tomorrow, but he is not taking anything for granted.

'I will go into the AYG just like any other competition - I'm taking it seriously,' said the Chaozhou native, who is a member of China's national team despite his tender age. 'It's an opportunity for me to gain more competition experience, which is something that I lack.'

He has not set any targets for himself, but believes that if he dives like he does in training, the gold should be his.

But one thing the former gymnast is eyeing is a spot at the 2012 London Games. He said: 'Making it to the Olympics is something that I'm looking at.'

While Singapore will feature in all nine AYG sports, in aquatics it will compete only in swimming, not diving.

linxinyi@sph.com.sg

This story was first published in The Straits Times.