A platform from which to thrive

Step to the edge of the platform, jump and dive. Then do it all over again.

These are the countless repetitive steps toward perfection taken by Chinese diving star Chen Yuxi, the 19-year-old Olympic champion who is determined to start a new chapter in her already stellar career.

"We always say, once you step off the podium, everything resets. Starting from zero in this (Olympic) cycle means that I need to let go of all my past achievements, my previous status, also the emotional and psychological pressure accumulated from the last cycle," Chen said in an exclusive interview with China Daily online show Tracking Success.

"Then, step-by-step, I have to embrace diving exactly as it is and continue with the training and competitions. This helps me better adjust my mindset," Chen added.

After winning a gold and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics last year, Chen's diving career continues with steely determination. With refreshed momentum, Chen has proved herself once again through her performances this season.

Demonstrating her return to form at the 2025 World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final in Beijing in May, Chen captured three gold medals. She delivered a stunning performance with a score of 431.25 points to win the women's 10m platform title, and also claimed victories in the women's 10m synchronized and the mixed 3m and 10m team events. She was honored as the Best Female Diver of the 2025 Diving World Cup season. Soon after, she continued her winning streak at the national diving championship in Wuhan in May, once again standing out with a medal-laden performance.

Reflecting on the ups and downs of her diving career, Chen believes the most important thing is to keep focusing on herself, especially as she seeks perfection with every dive.

Over the past seven to eight years, Chen said that she has adhered to practicing her core movements countless times. It has been a nonstop process of repeating them day after day. Although the training can feel tedious, every movement demands meticulous refinement and thorough preparation for the decisive moment when everything is on the line.

"Diving is just like polishing a piece of art," Chen said, providing a vivid metaphor. "It is the combination of artistic beauty and a sense of strength, including a control over details. It requires precision, measured in fractions of a second, and angles precise to fractions of a degree."

At this stage of her career, Chen, already a mature diver on the platform, said that she's more disciplined and self-motivated. Instead of just focusing on the quantity of the training, she emphasizes ensuring that the quality of every movement consistently meets the standard she sets for herself.

"When you truly see your movement perfectly executed, it's a great affirmation," added Chen, who feels a clear transformation within herself.

"I think the biggest change is that it went from the coach telling me to train, to me wanting to train myself."

Chen believes that diving is an exceptionally comprehensive sport. To become an outstanding diver, athletes must develop sharp thinking, extraordinary flexibility, tremendous strength, and all-around top-level physical qualities.