OK old timers here is some good news

for ya!

Mexican Divers make big splash in Beijing

WIRE REPORTS

Mexico finally has its first prize at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

In a night of firsts for the Mexican team, Divers Paola Espinosa and Tatiana Ortiz got the country onto the medal platform with their third-place finish in women´s 10-meter synchronized platform diving.

It was also the first Mexican medal in any women´s Olympic diving event.

"Hopefully, it´ll be the first of many for our country," Espinosa said after she and Ortiz scored 330.06 points.

Wang Xin and Chen Ruolin of China took gold with 363.54 points. Australian silver medalists Briony Cole and Melissa Wu scored 335.16.

The Mexicans, who only teamed up 18 months ago under coach Ma Jin, made a dramatic comeback after their first two dives had sunk them to the bottom of the standings.

Their third dive, a nearly perfect attempt, catapulted the duo to third place, just 2.5 points behind the Chinese.

"We were convinced that we were going to do better than eighth place," Espinosa said. "And here we are, proud of what we´ve done."

Before the duo´s final dive, some 200 Mexican fans in the Beijing Water Cube began chanting "Mexico, Mexico." Their performance brought an ovation that told Ortiz she´d done well.

"When I left the water and I heard the public reaction, I knew we would have a medal," the 24-year-old Ortiz said.

Though their jump was good enough for a silver medal, the next dive by the Australians pushed the Mexicans to third.

But Espinosa, 22, said winning third place would help build her confidence and make her feel "more relaxed" in the individual diving competition because "I already gave all I had to give in the individual trials."

She said President Felipe Calderón called to congratulate the team and told them that Mexicans were following the competition and "are very proud of us."

Ortiz said she was happy with the bronze and expected it to help in the next competition.

"I exceeded my expectations, I won a medal," Ortiz said.

Espinosa was equally thrilled, particularly since she had been tapped to carry the country´s flag into the opening ceremonies.

More than that, she was carrying Mexico´s best hope for a medal after sprinter Ana Guevara bowed out of these games.

"I don´t have the words to describe this moment," Espinosa told the Los Angeles Times. "I´m an Olympic medalist."

Paola

Ole! Ole! Ole!

The lovely Paola hails from La Paz......

You can bet your botas that there will be a howling Pachanga in her honor.......