Sharks close in on teen diving queen

After winning the gold medal in the women's 10-meter platform diving competition in the Tokyo Olympics on Aug 5, 14-year-old Quan Hongchan has caught the attention of the nation.

Not only because of her flawless performance, but also for the innocence she displayed while speaking with the media. Quan said her dream is to save enough money to treat her sick mother, buy snacks, and go to an entertainment park and a zoo.

Were it not for the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Quan would not have participated in the Games as she only joined the national team last year.

Quan is the third child of her parents who live in a village in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province. The family struggles on the poverty line, and mainly relies on the meager income it gets from growing sugarcane on a small patch of farmland and a subsistence allowance from the local government.

Now Quan has become a sporting sensation, her previously quiet rural home has become a must-see place for not only locals, but also livestreaming hosts and businesspeople, who come for various purposes, all of which are aimed at trying to capitalize on the national attention her success story has attracted.

These uninvited guests have seriously disturbed the Quan family's daily life, and their worldly-wise sophistication is in stark contrast with the innocence of Quan.

The government is duty bound to extend a helping hand to protect the family from the harassment, so that the young diving genius can focus more on her training and studies.

BEIJING NEWS