On Tuesday, China will be vying for its fifth Olympic diving gold medal (in five events in Paris) as well as a five-peat in women’s 10m platform discipline. The Olympic and world champion Quan Hongchan and her teammate-rival Chen Yuxi of Chinga are heavily favorited to win gold and silver.
Quan Hongchan was only 14 when she won Olympic gold on the women’s 10m platform in Tokyo by amassing 24 perfect scores (out of 35 possible). Her perfect scores included 10s from all seven judges on two of her dives. Now, 17, the farmer’s daughter will try to give the People’s Republic of China its fifth diving gold medal in Paris (through five events) while simultaneously trying to give China an Olympic five-peat in this event.
Standing in her way will be the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, Chen Yuxi, 18, a three-time world champion who went 1-2 with Quan at two recent world championships (in 2022 and 2023) until Quan flipped the order and won the 2024 world title ahead of Chen.
Whenever Quan faces Chen, it ends up being a titanic battle to see which teen can tally more 10s.
It’s worth noting that a victory by either woman would mark her second gold medal in Paris. Together, Quan and Chen won the women’s 10m synchro gold on 31 July.
Bronze medal contenders will likely include fellow teenager Andrea Spendolini Sirieix, 19, of Great Britain, who claimed bronze at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, in February. (Spendolini Serieix placed seventh at the Tokyo Games at age 16.) If she makes the podium, it would be Great Britain’s first Olympic medal in the women’s individual 10m event.
Another potential medalist could be Kim Mi Rae, 23, of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. She has twice finished fourth at the world championships (in 2017 and 2024). She also placed fourth at the Rio 2016 Olympics at just 15. Already, in Paris, Kim helped bring North Korea its first Olympic diving medal when she and Jo Jin-Mi took silver in the women’s 10m synchro event. Tuesday could be the day she breaks through on her own to give North Korea its first Olympic medal in an individual diving event.
The women’s 10m final will begin Tuesday at 15:00 Paris time at the Aquatics Centre.