Spanish diving duo using Chinese stars to hunt 'epic' glory in Paris

"If you want to learn how to dive, watch the Chinese team." It has become a bit of a mantra for Spanish duo Nico Garcia and Adrian Abadia who are looking to make springboard history in Paris this summer.

‌China's diving team has enjoyed decades of dominance, winning 27 of 32 Olympic golds since Beijing 2008 and could clean sweep in France. It's never been achieved in an Olympics before.

The rest of the world has been learning from Chinese techniques and catching up, with Britain's Tom Daley, a strong Mexican team and an improved USA roster all fighting to stop China winning all eight Olympic events.

While China's quest for the 'Great Eight' is a captivating plotline, there's plenty of room for other stories.

Like Spanish history-makers Garcia and Abadia. They've had their best year ever, winning silver at the European Championships and a historic bronze at the Doha Worlds in the 3m synchro. It was Spain's first ever diving World medal.

"It's a lifetime's work; a long journey," Nico - as everyone calls him - says at their practice pool in central Madrid.

"I started at the age of six. I'm 29 now, so 23 years of diving. What attracted me most to this sport was overcoming my fear. As a child, heights sent me into a panic - ironic I know because I jump off a springboard, but it's one of the lowest trampolines. I don't jump up there," he says, pointing up to the 10m board.

Adrian is just 22 and the rising star of Spanish diving. His grandmother signed him up for diving and when he and Garcia got together there was an instant calm chemistry.

"We're basically like a married couple because we live together too, but it's all very natural and comfortable. We are both water," says Adrian.

So could Spain's first Olympic diving podium be in the water too?

"That would be historic, historic and epic for us and a very nice way, in my case, to end my sporting journey because I don't think I can go another Olympic cycle," adds Garcia.

But there's an honesty to them too. When we give both divers questions to ask each other and Nico asks Adrian 'are we going to win gold at the Paris Games?'

The answer is "no". 

Chinese dominance

When this Spanish double act won bronze in Doha, the Chinese pair of Long Daoyi and Wang Zongyuan topped the podium and are favorites for gold in France too.

In fact China won gold medals in seven of eight events at the Tokyo Olympics and are aiming to go one better - diving for perfection at Paris 2024.

Eight is a powerful number in Chinese culture, pronounced 'ba' in Mandarin, which sounds similar to the word for wealth or prosperity, "发" - pronounced 'fa'.

The number eight is heavily associated with success and good fortune. The Chinese will pay big money for phone numbers with eights in them, for apartments on the eighth floor, and see it as an auspicious augur if babies are born on the eight day of a month - particularly if it's the eighth of August.

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Hence the fascination with winning eight-out-of-eight in Paris.

The feat was foiled in Tokyo only by a brilliant performance from Britain's Tom Daley and Matty Lee in the 10m synchro.

"We are in awe of what the Chinese do," says Nico.

"They're in a different league, on another level. We don't know how they do it, but right now they are light years ahead of diving in Spain, for example.

"Basically, if you want to learn how to dive, watch videos of the Chinese team and you'll see how they do everything perfectly," adds Adrian.

"I remember my coach in Mallorca playing me videos. He'd say 'see how they keep their bodies straight', or 'how they move their arms'.

Thousands of stories are set to play out in Paris, among them China's quest for the 'Great Eight,' but look out for Nico and Adrian too, Spain's low-key history makers.

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