SHANGHAI, March 23 (Xinhua) — After stepping down the rostrum with a silver medal, Quan Hongchan, the Tokyo Olympic diving champion who will quickly flip 16, buried her head within the arms of her sibling-like teammate Xie Siyi and could not management her tears.
But being requested by the media why she cried, the cussed younger woman denied it. “I did not cry,” she mentioned.
The girls’s 10m platform remaining completed on Tuesday is the second key competitors for Quan to vie for the crown at 2023 National Diving Championship, which can qualify athletes for the World Championships, the Asian Games and the Universiade. Two days in the past, Quan claimed the ladies’s synchronized 10m platform title along with Chen Yuxi.
Chen, 17, can be a Tokyo Olympic gold medalist, profitable the ladies’s synchronized 10m platform and coming second to Quan within the particular person competitors. The two ladies had been paired up after the Tokyo Olympics, combining cooperation and competitors.
Two years later, Quan was defeated by her associate, or to be extra exact, herself. The competitors was at first closely-contested till Quan made a mistake when attempting to finish a excessive danger 207C in her fourth dive, the identical motion she had didn’t execute properly within the semifinal.
“I was too excited during the competition and did not control the rhythm well,” mentioned Quan. “But I am confident that I am able to make it. I just need to relax.”
The younger diver additionally has to get used to her bodily change. “I have become much taller and heavier in the past two years. I will keep making adjustments in training sessions,” she mentioned.
On the opposite hand, Chen, a Shanghai native, obtained a heat welcome from her hometown crowd. Her teammates and coaches from the Shanghai diving group had come to cheer her on, and lots of of her followers held banners with slogans of encouragement.
Chen rewarded her supporters with a deep bow after her final dive and devoted her success to them. “Their cheering really encouraged me,” mentioned Chen.
However, she was not happy along with her efficiency. “After I overtook Quan, I was not fully concentrated, which led to some imperfect dives,” she mentioned.
When being interviewed, Chen acted extra like an elder sister than an opponent. Quan all the time seemed to Chen for assist when going through powerful questions.
Chen described their relationship as a complementary one. “We take care of and support each other in our daily life. For example, our growth is causing problems for both of us and we will share experiences,” mentioned Chen.
Talking about Quan’s errors, Chen regarded them in a optimistic manner. “Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, and sometimes mistakes may not be a bad thing. I hope she can do better in future competitions. Healthy mutual competition helps us progress,” Chen mentioned.