Quan Hongchan, who recently won two diving gold medals for the Chinese Olympic team, once devoted all her energy to becoming a star to earn money for her mother’s medical treatment.
At the age of 17, Quan Hongchan made history for the Chinese Olympic team by winning three diving gold medals at the Olympics, including two at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her third gold medal came three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics, confirming her spectacular rise in the international sports world.
Even among the list of famous Chinese divers who have won Olympic gold medals, Quan Hongchan is still considered to be in a different class.
In the 10m diving final on August 6, all seven judges gave Quan Absolute View her first jump. She barely made a ripple when she landed in the water, leaving the spectators in awe.
Quan Hongchan’s performance was so extreme that it was difficult to find the right words to describe it. The Chinese had to create a new phrase in Mandarin to describe her technique: “shuihua xiaoshi shu”, which literally means “disappearing in water technique”, to refer to her ability to dive into the pool without causing any splashes.
The story of Quan Hongchan’s talent, family background and incredible efforts quickly spread across social media, attracting attention and admiration from both domestic and international audiences. Known as a symbol of perseverance and overcoming difficulties, Quan Hongchan has left a deep impression on sports fans around the world.
Talent and Effort: Quan Hongchan’s Journey to the Olympics
Quan’s talent, family background and incredible efforts have inspired the younger generation. Photo: Xinhua.
Quan Hongchan was born into a farming family in Maihe Village, located in Zhangjiang County, Guangdong Province, China. Her parents were orange growers and factory workers, where they worked hard to support the family in difficult circumstances. Quan’s childhood was full of events after a serious car accident, which left her mother seriously injured and requiring frequent hospitalization. Her perseverance and efforts to overcome difficulties from a young age helped Quan Hongchan grow up and become the successful person she is today.
In July 2014, Quan Hongchan was discovered by coach Chen Huaming when he made a scouting trip to rural schools. He recognized Quan’s excellent jumping technique and began to coach her from then on. In September of the same year, Quan officially joined Zhanjiang Sports School.
“He said I was small but agile, and could jump higher and farther than others. At that time, I was 1.2 meters tall and could jump up to 1.76 meters,” Quan told state media.
Quan admitted that she had no interest in books as a child, instead focusing on her newfound skill of “jumping higher and farther than others”.
“I was not good at studying, but when I was diving and snorkeling, I was very confident,” Quan said.
With her mother’s hospital bills weighing heavily on the family, Quan was even more determined to become a star and earn more money.
By 2018, just before her 11th birthday, Quan had graduated from the Guangdong Provincial Team.
Quan’s former advisor to the Guangdong Provincial Sports Team, He Weiyi, said it was her determination to become better every day that set her apart from other athletes.
“Quan trains harder than other athletes of the same age. She is the most active. Quan constantly asks me if her jumping postures and movements are okay, if she is doing well. She will not be happy if I do not answer immediately. Quan’s spirit is to want to be perfect,” He said.
Quan Hongchan: The New Queen of Olympic Diving
Quan Hongchan has excelled in winning two consecutive gold medals at the Guangdong Youth Championships in 2018 and 2019. The first achievement marked her prominence in this region, paving the way for Quan to participate in the 2020 Chinese National Championships. Here, she surpassed both the world and Olympic champions in the 10m high jump, affirming her outstanding talent.
“shuihua xiaoshi shu”, literally means “disappearing in water technique”. Photo: Xinhua.
Since then, the world has welcomed a new diving queen.
Guan’s watering technique has led to the creation of a new Mandarin phrase to describe it. Photo: Xinhua.
Quan Hongchan, 14, has conquered the world with a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and set a record at the Olympics. Ahead of this year’s tournament, she appeared on Xiaohongshu with a confident and humorous video, showing her mix of seriousness and fun. After her victory in Tokyo, she wanted to celebrate with spicy latiao and wanted to open a supermarket, furthering her dream of a small grocery store. She still retains the innocence of adolescence, showing through her participation in recreational activities and her enjoyment of parks and animal circuses. Quan continues to be an inspiration with her brilliant success.
Quan was excited to meet his idol Eileen Gu after the awards ceremony at the Paris Olympics. Photo: CGTN.
At the press conference after winning the gold medal in the women’s 10m artistic diving event in Paris, Quan had a very exciting moment meeting her favorite athlete, Eileen Gu – the Chinese ski champion, who has won two Olympic gold medals.
Quan was surprised to see Gu approaching her and teammate Chen Yuxin. “You’re so beautiful, I’m so happy. You’re so radiant,” Quan exclaimed.
And when she won her third Olympic gold medal on August 6, Quan arrived at the press conference wearing a new pair of glasses. She may not be the first Chinese athlete to make a splash in the sport, but she is certainly the first to wear a gold medal around her neck and an Olympic ring over her eyes.
