Now we finally understand why Chen Yuxi burst into tears upon winning the silver medal in the women's 10-meter diving platform event. When Chen Yuxi won the silver medal and Quan Hongchan took the gold, the feelings of these two young athletes must have been complex and profound.
For Chen Yuxi, winning the silver medal is undoubtedly a recognition of her efforts and talent. In competitive sports, a silver medal is also an extremely high honor, indicating that she ranks among the world's top-level athletes. However, because of the slight gap with the gold medal, she may feel a hint of regret or unwillingness.
Chen Yuxi was born on September 11, 2005, in Shanghai. She comes from a family of gymnasts; her grandfather Chen Xinxi was once a gymnast in Shanghai, her father Chen Jian is a gymnastics coach at the Shanghai Xuhui District Youth Sports School, and her mother Dong Chunhua is an associate professor in the gymnastics department at the Shanghai University of Sport.
As a child, Chen Yuxi had a weak physique, so her parents let her practice sports to strengthen her body. In 2008, she started practicing gymnastics; in 2011, she was selected by the Shanghai Diving Team and subsequently switched to diving; in early 2017, she joined the Shanghai Diving Team for trial training.
In the field of diving, Chen Yuxi has shown extraordinary talent and strength. In September 2018, at the National Diving Championships, she won both the women's individual 10-meter platform and the mixed doubles 10-meter platform titles. In March 2019, Chen Yuxi was selected for the Chinese national diving team. In July of the same year, in her first World Championships, she won the women's individual 10-meter platform championship with a score of 439 points.
On July 27, 2021, Chen Yuxi and Zhang Jiaqi made their debut in the women's synchronized 10-meter platform diving event at the Tokyo Olympics and successfully won the championship; in the individual 10-meter platform event of the same Olympics, she won the silver medal.
On June 28, 2022, she successfully defended her title as the women's individual 10-meter platform champion at the World Championships; on June 30, she partnered with Quan Hongchan to win the women's synchronized 10-meter platform championship at the World Championships.
On July 19, 2023, at the women's individual 10-meter platform final of the World Swimming Championships, Chen Yuxi won the championship with a score of 457.85 points, achieving a three-peat in this event.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan teamed up to win the women's synchronized 10-meter platform championship and won another silver medal in the women's individual 10-meter platform final.
Chen Yuxi is a shining star in China's diving world, and her outstanding performance and tenacious spirit have won her many praises and respects. In 2024, Chen Yuxi was admitted to Tongji University without examination and is studying in the sports training major.
When facing the CCTV camera, Chen Yuxi frankly shared her feelings. She said, "I have always been striving to catch up with Sister Xiaochuan. Her presence forces me to constantly challenge myself. I long to reach her level and possess actions as perfect as hers. However, the gap between us often makes me feel tremendous pressure."
When asked if there were moments when she felt she could not catch up with Quan Hongchan, after some thought, Chen Yuxi said, "There were many such moments, self-doubt and frustration accompanied every step of my journey. But it was precisely these moments that taught me perseverance and self-transcendence. They are like sharpening stones; although the process is arduous, they make my will stronger and my skills more exquisite. I deeply understand that competing with Sister Xiaochuan is both a challenge and an opportunity, which motivates me to keep moving forward and pursue higher goals. It is because of her encouragement that I did not give up. Without her as my partner or without her existence, I might have lost the motivation to move forward long ago, and there would be no achievements today."
Folks, Chen Yuxi's frankness is truly touching; let's give her a thumbs up!