National Games: Chen Yuxi steps out of Quan Hongchan’s shadow, now she is China’s diving queen
The Paris Olympics marked a turning point in the relationship between the two, and at the National Games it is Chen who is shining brightest
For years, Chen Yuxi has somewhat stood in the shadow of her superstar teammate Quan Hongchan, who burst onto the scene at just 14 with her rags-to-riches story, young age and formidable performance, offering a captivating narrative for the public.
The slightly older Chen, meanwhile, despite possessing clinical precision, consistency and Olympic golds, was known as synchronised partner and rival to Quan.
But on Monday night, as the 20-year-old executed her final dive to secure gold in the women’s 10m platform final at the 15th National Games in Guangzhou with an impressive final score of 412.30, she definitively stepped into the limelight and claimed the title of individual platform queen, as Quan was seen cheering enthusiastically for her friend.
This victory, achieved with a clinical and commanding performance for the Shanghai team, solidified the most compelling narrative of the 2025 diving season: Chen Yuxi was no longer chasing.
Where Quan held the individual Olympic title in both Tokyo and Paris, Chen has spent the post-Olympic year perfecting her craft and meticulously reversing the hierarchy, dominating the 10m event and establishing herself as the undisputed top athlete of this new competitive cycle.
The shift began earlier in the year at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where Chen reclaimed the individual world title, an achievement that followed consecutive wins at the World Cup stops in Guadalajara and Windsor.