Tears are never uncommon on the Olympic stage. But when it came out of the eyes of a 16-year-old girl, the world was moved. On August 6, 2024, at the women's single 10-meter platform final of the Paris Olympics, Quan Hongchan narrowly defeated teammate Chen Yuxi by 4.9 points with a total score of 425.60 points and successfully defended her Olympic champion. When the national anthem played and the gold medal hung on her chest, this girl, who was usually as strong as a little soldier, finally couldn't hold back her tears.
At this moment, everyone saw the tears of the champion, but only her mentor Chen Ruolin understood the hardships contained in these tears best. From the stunning appearance at the Tokyo Olympics to the king defending the title at the Paris Olympics, Quan Hongchan completed the transformation from a talented girl to a diving queen in two years. How many people can truly understand the hardships and struggles in this process?
Looking back on this thrilling final, Quan Hongchan's performance can be called a perfect drama. At the beginning of the competition, she shocked the audience with a perfect score for her first jump. 90.0 points, the seven referees unanimously gave a 10-point evaluation, such a start undoubtedly gave Quan Hongchan great confidence. On the second jump, she continued to be steady, scoring 84.80 points. After two rounds, Quan Hongchan topped the list with 174.80 points, and it seemed that the victory was in hand.
However, fate always likes to play a joke with champions. In the third jump, Quan Hongchan made a mistake in the arm strength action and only scored 76.80 points. At the same time, Chen Yuxi seized the opportunity and quickly narrowed the gap with a high score of 89.20 points. After three rounds, the difference between the two suddenly narrowed to just 1.6 points. The direction of the game was instantly full of suspense, and the hearts of the audience also hung in suspense.
At the critical moment, Quan Hongchan showed a psychological quality beyond her age. In the face of her "inner demon" action 207C, she did not flinch in the slightest. In the fourth jump, Quan Hongchan once again established the lead with a high score of 92.40 points. This jump is not only a perfect presentation of technology, but also an important breakthrough in the psychological threshold.
In the final jump, the two Chinese players launched a thrilling ultimate showdown. Chen Yuxi took the lead and ended the game with a solid performance of 81.60 points, with a total score of 420.70 points. This score has surpassed her results in the preliminaries and semifinals, putting huge pressure on Quan Hongchan. In the face of such an aggressive challenge, Quan Hongchan withstood the pressure and also ended perfectly with a score of 81.60. In the end, she scored a total of 425.60 points, only narrowly beating Chen Yuxi by 4.9 points, and successfully defended her Olympic title.
When the results were announced, Quan Hongchan could no longer control her emotions, and tears burst out of her eyes. In these tears, there is the joy of victory, the relief after the release of pressure, and more of the hardships and hardships along the way.
Quan Hongchan, who was standing on the podium, couldn't stop crying. And the coach Chen Ruolin on the side showed a pleased smile. As Quan Hongchan's mentor, Chen Ruolin knows better than anyone how much this little girl has paid for this gold medal.
From her stunning debut at the Tokyo Olympics at the age of 14 to the defending title at the Paris Olympics at the age of 16, Quan Hongchan's growth path was full of sweat and tears. In the eyes of outsiders, she is a talented and talented girl, and her diving movements are smooth and effortless. But only Chen Ruolin knows how much effort Quan Hongchan has put in on those invisible training grounds.
Behind every perfect diving move, there are countless repetitions of training and technical polishing. From early morning physical training to late-night technical review, Quan Hongchan dedicates almost all her time to diving. At an age when her peers were still worried about exams, she had already shouldered the heavy responsibility of winning glory for the country.
In the face of huge pressure and expectations, Quan Hongchan has always maintained extraordinary calmness and concentration. She knew that she had to defeat not only her opponents, but also herself. Every time she stands on the jumping platform, she is pushing her limits and breaking through her fears.
Chen Ruolin once said: "Quan Hongchan is a very talented child, but what is even more rare is her diligence and tenacity. It is this kind of diligence and tenacity that has allowed Quan Hongchan to grow from a fledgling rookie to an unshakable diving queen in just two years.
In training, Quan Hongchan always asks herself to do her best. Even if she has mastered the movements, she will practice them repeatedly and strive for perfection. Chen Ruolin once revealed that sometimes she had to stop Quan Hongchan from overtraining, because this little girl always felt that she was not good enough and needed more practice.
In addition to physical hardship, Quan Hongchan also has to face huge psychological pressure. As an Olympic champion, her every appearance is in the spotlight, and every move is subject to the world's scrutiny. This kind of pressure is such a heavy burden for a teenage girl. But Quan Hongchan can always show maturity and stability beyond her age at critical moments.
Just like in the final of the Paris Olympics, when there was a mistake in the third jump and the lead was quickly narrowed, Quan Hongchan did not panic. She adjusted her mentality and played steadily in the fourth and fifth jumps, and finally won the championship by a narrow margin. This kind of psychological quality that can still remain calm under great pressure is the most valuable quality of Quan Hongchan.
Quan Hongchan's success is not only a reflection of her personal ability, but also a continuation of the excellent tradition of the Chinese diving team. From Guo Jingjing, Chen Ruolin to Quan Hongchan, the Chinese diving team has achieved six consecutive championships in the women's single 10-meter platform event. Behind this is the unremitting efforts and persistence of generations of athletes and coaches.
Quan Hongchan's tears were not only shed for herself, but also for this glorious tradition. She knows that she is not only shouldering personal honor, but also the expectations of a country. Every time she stands on the diving platform, she is fighting for the glory of Chinese diving.
When Quan Hongchan couldn't cry on the podium, Chen Ruolin's eyes flashed with tears of relief. She knows that this little girl who has been cultivated by herself has finally truly grown into a mature champion. Quan Hongchan's tears are the best interpretation of the hard work of the past two years, and they are also a silent oath to higher goals in the future.
From Tokyo to Paris, Quan Hongchan used her strength to prove that she is not only a genius, but also a real champion. Her story is far from over. In the days to come, we look forward to seeing this strong little girl continue to shine on the diving platform and create more miracles.
Quan Hongchan's tears are the testimony of hard work, the fruit of sweat, and the unrepentant pursuit of dreams. The power contained in these tears will inspire more young people to bravely pursue their dreams and perform wonderfully on their own life stage.