Tragic story behind why 14-year-old really wanted to have Olympic win
Mia Williams
Featured Image Credit: ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP /Bai Yu/CHINASPORTS/VCG via Getty Images
A 14-year-old diver who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics paid a heartbreaking tribute when she won her medal, and she's doing just as well at this year's games.
China take their diving, as with many other sports, very seriously.
And it has been reported that their Olympic divers have been programmed from an early age to strive for perfection.
This sentiment is pretty evident, after watching the now 17-year-old Quan Hongchan perform at the games this year, and previously in Tokyo when she was just 14.
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Back in 2020, all seven judges gave Quan perfect 10s for her second and fourth dives in the five-round competition.
And she dedicated her gold medal to a special person, in a heart-warming speech after the win.
She dedicated the victory to her mum, who was very ill.
After collecting her medal, she said: "I want to make enough money to support her.
"I listen to my coach very carefully and follow his instructions very carefully."
Quan's mother was seriously injured in a car accident in 2017, breaking her ribs. The teen took up diving in order to help pay her medical bills.
And her win helped to mark the fourth consecutive Olympics in which China has won every single women’s diving event.
And the young diver is doing just as well this year, after she competed with her teammate Chen Yuxi in the women's synchronised 10-meter platform event, earlier today (July 31).
The pair established their lead in the first round and finished with 359.10 points.
They both won the gold medal for their efforts, but the victory didn't exactly come as a surprise to anyone, as the pair have won nine world titles since teaming up in 2022.
But in a shocking turn of events, neither were overly happy with their performance.
Speaking after the win, Quan said: "All the dives were mediocre."
Whilst Chen said: "Before the event, I felt a bit nervous and some pressure.
"I didn't manage these emotions well.
"My performance was a bit unstable, and I didn't handle some of the details in the dives well.
"It was the Olympics after all.
"Who wouldn't feel the pressure?"
We can't disagree!
Quan and Chen graced the top of the podium to loud cheers and chanting from Chinese spectators in the crowd, who were waving a sea of the country's flags.
North Korea's Jo, 19, and Kim, 23, placed second in the event, but were left gutted after they had planned for gold.
Kim said: "We really wanted to give gold to our country, but the performance was not done as we expected, as we tried, so we regret that.
"The next time we do it we will try hard for the gold."