Four years later Fu swept both medals in Atlanta 1996, bringing her career total to three Olympic gold medals. A total she is trying to increase here in Sydney. Both Xiong and Fu came back from retirement in what is and will be their laast quest for gold. Since Xiong arrived on the scene China has dominated the sport sweeping gold, with minor exceptions, in all top world competitions, i.e. the Olympic Games, the FINA World Championships, the FINA World Cups and the FINA Grand Prix. Diving is deeply rooted in a number of countries that, in turn, have dominated the sport.
Diving is also a family sport, better still it is a sport where genetics play a very important role.
The passion and the talent for this spectacular and very difficult discipline is often transmitted from parents to sons and daughters. Anna is coached by her parents. Tania Cagnotto, of Italy, daughter of Carmen Casteiner, an Olympic diver in Montreal 1976, and Giorgio Cagnotto, a five-time Olympian in diving, with two silver and two bronze medals. Tania is coached by his father. Yulia Pakhalina, of Russia.