At just 14, Quan Hongchan soared to instant fame with a dazzling Olympic gold in Tokyo, her precision and poise captivating millions. Five years and two more Olympic titles later, the Chinese diving prodigy has revealed the toll behind her near-perfect performances. A quiet struggle with pressure and self-doubt that nearly pushed her away from the sport entirely.

Between Tokyo and Paris, Quan experienced changes in her body, but 2025 was particularly difficult. She started her menstrual cycle and went into full-fledged puberty. Her hormones, fat storage, and height and weight all changed. In an attempt to manage these changes, she reduced her food intake to one meal per day (and sometimes less), and increased her training load. But Hongchan revealed the impact it had on her.

“I was starving to the point of collapse,” Quan Hongchan said, “but the numbers just wouldn’t drop.”

The unrelenting pressure took its toll on Quan, both mentally and physically. Then came the online scrutiny: Harsh comments about her body that deepened her insecurities. She said she stopped wearing skirts, avoided mirrors, and refused to step on the scale. Ordinary moments began to feel burdensome.

250503 — BEIJING, May 3, 2025 — Quan Hongchan of China reacts after the women s 10m platform match at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup 2025 Super Final in Beijing, capital of China, May 3, 2025. Photo by /Xinhua SPCHINA-BEIJING-DIVING-WORLD CUP-SUPER FINAL-WOMEN S 10M PLATFORM NaxYuqi PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHNOn New Year’s Eve 2025, instead of celebrating, she spent the night quietly at home, playing video games before turning in early.

“I want to be happy too,” she said. “But more than that, I hope those who attack me will stop cursing me, stop cursing my family, and stop cursing my friends. Otherwise, they’ll all stay away from me.” These struggles brought her to a turning point.

For the first time, she seriously considered quitting diving. “Diving is no longer my whole world,” she admitted. The movements she once performed without thinking now felt too frightening. “Even the movements I wasn’t afraid of before – I became scared of them,” she said. So, the intense scrutiny, pressure to perform and physical strain all piled up.

“I had reached my limit. I was exhausted – physically, mentally, emotionally. Everything was piling up together,” she said, admitting that constant attention even made her afraid of cameras. This made her next steps both uncertain and necessary.

Quan Hongchan’s slow return to the spotlight after a tough 2025

Quan appeared unstoppable after her triumphs in Tokyo and Paris. Yet 2025 brought a shift. In April, she claimed silver in the women’s 10-meter platform at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup, finishing behind teammate Chen Yuxi. Not long after, she decided to pause serious training.

“I want time to last a bit longer … I don’t want to grow up so fast,” she said.

Her return was gradual. In November 2025, she competed for Guangdong at the Chinese National Games, teaming with Wang Weiying to win gold in the women’s synchronized 10m platform, edging Shanghai by a single point.

She skipped the individual event to ease back in, but the performance showed she remained at the top of her game. But getting back into training was difficult. Quan said the break reintroduced feelings of “oppression and fear.” But she told herself:

“Many people endure this, and I should be able to as well. This will eventually pass, though I don’t know when.”

For someone who started training at age seven and joined the national team by 13, Quan Hongchan faced intense pressure as the youngest triple Olympic diving champion. Perhaps her perseverance and newfound candor will fuel her next chapter of success?