Paris, France, July 31, 2024: China’s “diving dream team” of Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan did not let their flag-waving fans down at the Aquatics Centre on Wednesday, July 31 by winning the women’s synchronized 10m platform.
Chen and Quan took gold with a five-dive total of 359.10, ahead of the silver medallists from DPR Korea, Jo Jin Mi and Kim Mi Rae, with 315.90.
Andrea Spendolini Sirieix and Lois Tolson from Great Britian were third on 304.38.
The result was extra significant as it was China’s 50th diving gold medal in Olympic history and their seventh in a row in this event.
Chen, who won this event at Tokyo 2020 with former partner Zhang Jiaqi, commented: “First of all I would like to thank very much our country and the diving team for this opportunity for us so we can be on the podium. This is the 50th gold medal in diving so we would like to thank our predecessors so that we can continue this.”
Chen, 19, and Quan, 17, shared an emotional moment together after victory was confirmed, despite the fact they are so used to success on the international circuit.
“We have been partners for three years and have been through many competitions and many times on the podium, but the Olympics are very different,” Chen said.
“This gold medal is the accomplishment of three years’ work and I would like to thank my partner during all the difficult times and the happy times.”
Chen also had words of support for her Chinese teammates from her hometown of Shanghai when it was pointed out that the Shanghai athletes among the 405-strong team had not been performing well in Paris.
“Cheer up,” she said, “since the Olympic Games is fantastic. Just enjoy it. So I would like to wish all the athletes from Shanghai very good results.”
Quan, who won the women’s individual 10m platform gold at Tokyo, with Chen taking silver, said she still found speaking to the media more difficult than diving.
“I am less nervous than before, I confess – but I am afraid that you still think I speak too little because I don’t say too much,” she said, to laughter, at the official press conference.
Quan had the last word, though, when asked which sports stars she admired. She replied Eileen Gu Ailing – the freestyle skier who just happened to be sitting in the press conference.
“She is so brilliant and so beautiful,” said Quan, before enjoying a quick chat and photo op with Gu which drove the Chinese media into a frenzy.
