From 1904-1984, the United States amassed a total 44 Olympic diving gold medals. Entering the 1984 Los Angeles Games, the U.S. held a healthy lead for the most diving golds all-time.
China competed in diving events for the first time that year with their competitors capturing one gold medal.
In 40 years and 10 Olympics since, the U.S. has added just five total gold medals, bringing its total to 49. In that same span, China has added 48 diving gold medals.
With a gold medal in the women's synchronized 10m platform event in the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, China now has 50 total Olympic gold medals in diving, passing the United States for the most all-time.
The U.S. still has the edge in total diving medals with 142 to China's 84, thanks in part to a silver medal by Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook in the women's synchro springboard in Paris.
Despite the healthy lead the United States still holds in the overall diving medal count, it has been clear for some time that the diving torch has been passed.
The Chinese won seven of eight events in each of the last two Olympics. They came to Paris looking to become the first country to sweep gold in eight diving events. The last country to sweep diving was the U.S. in 1952 when there were only four events on the program.
The hope for a sweep is off to a good start. China's Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen opened the 2024 Games with gold in the women's synchronized 3m springboard finals, and Lian Junjie and Yang Hao followed with gold in the men's synchro 10m platform — the only event China didn't win in Tokyo. On Wednesday, Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi won gold in the women's synchro platform by nearly 45 points.
China is also the heavy favorite in each of the final five diving events. Wang Zongyuan and Long Daoyi have won the last two world championships in the men's synchro 3m springboard, and Wang is also the reigning world champion in the men's individual springboard. Quan and Chen have traded titles in the individual platform at worlds over the last three years. Yang won Worlds in the men's individual platform, and Chang is the defending world champion in the individual women's springboard.
The Americans aren't expected to challenge for gold in any of the remaining events, but they could add to the overall medal count. Delaney Schnell has an outside chance at a medal in the women's individual platform, having finished sixth in the event at the 2023 Worlds. Andrew Capobianco finished fourth at worlds in the men's individual springboard, and Bacon was fifth in the individual springboard at worlds this year, and defeated Chang at the World Cup earlier this year.
