Sánchez Claims Mexico’s Third Diving Medal at the London Games

London Olympics 2012

The third time’s the charm for Laura Sánchez Soto

Competing in her third consecutive Olympics, the 26-year-old Mexican diver earned the bronze in the women’s diving 3m springboard final on Sunday at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Laura Sanchez

In what turned out to be a close battle for the bronze, Sánchez proved to be thismuch better than Italy’s Tania Cagnotto.

Heading into their final dive, the Italian diver—competing in her fourth Olympics—looked like the odds on favorite to take third place. But Sanchez won over the judges with an exceptional forward 2 1/2 somersault with one twist pike to finish a mere .20 points ahead of Cagnotto.

China’s Wu Minxia won the gold medal, while her countrywoman He Zi won the silver. It was Wu’s record-tying sixth Olympic diving medal.

Meanwhile, Sanchez’s third place finish helped give Mexico its third diving medal at the London Games following silver-earning performances by synchronized diver Paola Espinosa and Alejandra Orozco and German Sanchez and Iván García.

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