Olympic hosts Britain struck gold at the world aquatics championships Tuesday as China confidently strode to the halfway point of their quest to unite all 10 diving titles for the first time.
Britain\'s Keri-Anne Payne had to stop herself cursing with delight after winning the women\'s 10km open water event, ratcheting up hopes she can improve on her 2008 Olympic silver medal at the London Games next year.
With the win, ahead of Italy\'s Martina Grimaldi and Marianna Lymperta of Greece, Payne became Team Britain\'s first confirmed athlete for London 2012 with the top 10 finishers all gaining automatic entry.
"I really wish I could swear right now, but I\'m not that kind of person," said Payne. "To be on the Olympic team, and then it\'s a home Olympics as well, I\'m so absolutely pleased."
Shi Tingmao snatched back gold for China in the women\'s 1m springboard, one of only three diving titles to elude the team at the 2009 event in Rome. The hosts have won all five events so far with five left.
In an ominous sign, Shi led a Chinese one-two in the event -- a supposed weak spot -- with Wang Han getting silver. Italy\'s Tania Cagnotto claimed bronze.
China also have one hand on the men\'s 3m synchro diving crown after Olympic and world champion Qin Hai and partner Luo Yutong dominated the morning heat ahead of the final later on Tuesday.
Qin and Luo amassed 452.19 points to win the preliminary from Russia\'s Ilya Zakharov and Evgeny Kuznetsov, with Patrick Hausding and Stephan Feck of Germany third and Americans Kristian Ipsen and Troy Dumais fourth.
"The opponents from Germany and the US are strong but I\'m not nervous," said Luo. "We can\'t control other divers\' performance, but we can do the best in our own dives. I think we are confident in ourselves."
In the championships\' first open water event, held under scorching sun at Jinshan City Beach, Payne broke ahead of the pack early and stayed there to win in 2hr 1min 58.1sec, 1.8 sec ahead of Grimaldi.
"Through the whole race I tried to make it as easy as I could so that I knew if anyone did attack, I still had a bit left in me," said the Briton.
Australian Melissa Gorman, Argentina\'s Cecilia Biagioli, Brazil\'s Poliana Okimoto, Czech Republic\'s Jana Pechanova, Angela Maurer of Germany, Swiss Swann Oberson and Spain\'s Erika Villaecija Garcia also won Olympic berths.
Natalie Du Toit of South Africa, who became the first female amputee to compete in an able-bodied Olympics in 2008, placed 39th. Du Toit, who has no lower left leg, finished in 2:08:27:1.
On day four, China lead the medals table with their five diving golds, followed by Russia with their two titles in synchronised swimming.
Water polo competition is also under way at the 16-day, biennial championships, with the blue-riband pool swimming events kicking off on Sunday.
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