QUAN Hongchan, 14, scores perfect tens to win women's 10m platform diving gold

The People's Republic of China diver wows the judges to take gold. Compatriot CHEN Yuxi wins silver with Australia's Melissa Wu taking bronze.

In a diving competition for the ages, People's Republic of China's QUAN Hongchan set the 10m platform final alight with three 10s.

The impeccable Quan, only 14 years of age, barely made a ripple as she surged ahead with a score of 466.20. Teammate CHEN Yuxi won silver, more than 40 points back on 425.40, with Melissa Wu of Australia third on 371.40.

But the final belonged to Quan, who thrilled and amazed in equal measure to take an unforgettable diving gold.

Quan, who won the 2020 national championships at only 13 years old, executed two dives the judges scored unanimously as 10, with a third given 10 after two judges' scores were discounted.

It was a spectacular performance from a young diver who has only recently burst onto the scene, but will now surely provide some of the enduring images of the Games.

Quan, who won the 2020 national championships at only 13 years old, executed two dives the judges scored unanimously as a perfect 10, with her fifth dive just one judge away from another perfect score.

The hero of Tokyo and the new Olympic champion, was the star of the show on a thrilling afternoon at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

Quan spoke after the final about how she had felt in what was the most important competition of her life. Yet despite her tender age, it seems she didn't feel any pre-finals jitters.

“I was a little nervous, but not very, just a little bit,” she said.

And when asked how she would celebrate her win, Quan said: “I want to eat a lot of delicious things tonight! I feel like eating latiao (a popular Chinese spicy snack) the most."

 

Story first published on Olympics.com

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