Since the start of 2025, the World Aquatics Athletes of the Year Awards have been arriving by mail, with each crystal trophy now in the hands of its deserving recipient. As the 2024 winners celebrate their achievements, it’s time to recognise the most dominant divers this past year.
After knocking on the door of ultimate Olympic history over the past several editions of the Games, the Chinese diving team did what no nation has ever done: sweep the top step of the podium in each of the eight diving events. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Chinese team delivered just this.
Two of the most influential protagonists in this team performance were female platform diver Quan Hongchan and the legendary Cao Yuan.
Quan added two Olympic golds – in the women’s 10m platform and women’s 10m synchro – to the individual 10m platform gold she won at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The 18-year-old made it a clean sweep in 2024, also winning global titles in these two events at the World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024, en route to winning her first World Aquatics Athlete of the Year Award. For both synchro golds, Quan paired up with Chen Yuxi – who is also her biggest competitive rival in the individual 10m platform.
A two-time previous World Diving Athlete of the Year recipient, Cao Yuan dove to his third distinction with an Olympic gold in the men’s 10m platform at Paris 2024 and World silver in this same event at Doha 2024.
Cao first sprung into the international echelon at the London 2012 Games, winning gold in the 10m platform synchro. A four-time World and Olympic titlist with 15 podiums, Cao has 48 wins of the Diving World Cup across his prolific career.