Chen keeps diving into the details

When Chen Yuxi stepped to the edge of the 10-meter platform at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre during the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, the roar of the crowd faded into absolute silence for the Chinese diving ace.

"This afternoon I could clearly feel that it was as if my focus was entirely on the diving platform," Chen told China Daily afterward. "The spectators on both sides and the loud noise felt completely nonexistent to me."

This hyper-focused state propelled the 21-year-old Chinese diving star to the top of the podium, claiming gold medals in both the women's 10m individual and synchronized platform events.

The commanding victories marked a poignant, full-circle moment.

Five years ago, as a nervous and wide-eyed teenager, Chen made her Olympic debut in this very same venue. Returning as a seasoned champion, she was met with a roaring crowd that lingered in the stands long after the medal ceremony just to cheer her name.

Walking through the mixed zone, Chen was overcome with emotion, her eyes welling with tears. She reflected that without such unwavering support, she could never have made the arduous journey back to Tokyo.

"Five years ago, it was as if the platform was just equipment I borrowed to complete my routines," Chen noted in a recent interview, explaining how her relationship with the sport has deepened. "Now, it is no longer just a tool for me, but a place where my passion truly shines."

Despite her dominant final performances, Chen's Asian Games campaign still required immense mental resilience.

"Overall I am quite satisfied. Both the synchronized and individual finals went pretty well," Chen said. "However, I was a bit nervous and didn't fully let go in the preliminaries. I didn't find my rhythm that quickly, it came gradually."

"So there were a few mistakes," she admitted.

"But I think making quick adjustments between the preliminaries and the finals was great training. Of course, this is also something worth reflecting on, and such experience is extremely valuable to me."

With an illustrious resume that already includes two Olympic gold medals and two silvers, Chen has evolved from a rookie into a veteran presence on the squad.

"I feel my mindset this time was more stable than during the previous two major events," Chen noted, comparing her current state to the grueling pressures of the 2024 Paris Olympics and the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.

"And my overall frame of mind was better. I was able to stay more focused on the competition itself. Especially in today's final, I kept reminding myself to be decisive and to execute every dive without any hesitation."

The latter is something she has battled with, being initially terrified of water and requiring the patience of over a dozen coaches to help her overcome her deep-seated fear.

Today, she views the daunting height, not through a lens of fear, but as a canvas for perfection.

As a leading figure in Chinese diving, Chen now shoulders responsibilities that extend far beyond her own personal scores.

"I feel my role in the team is to take up the baton from the senior athletes who came before me to carry forward the tradition and lead by example for the younger generation," she said.

"For me it starts with doing my part well and training hard every single day. This includes maintaining the right attitude in training and showing determination on the competition stage."

For Chen, diving is not merely a sport; it is akin to continuously polishing a piece of art. It demands precision measured in fractions of a second and entry angles precise to fractions of a degree. Yet, seeking perfection becomes increasingly complex for a veteran athlete whose body has memorized every twist and turn.

"It seems that many times training goes better than the actual competition," Chen revealed.

"I feel I still need to adjust my mindset during competitions, as well as refine some technical details. Because for an athlete with many years of training, changing technical movements, especially fine details is really not easy. Many movements have already become muscle memory."

The intense, repetitive pressure of elite competition recently prompted Chen to take a much-needed hiatus to clear her mind. Stepping away from the pool, she traveled alone to Iceland, embarking on an adventure that tested her independence and yielded a profound personal epiphany.

A passionate photographer, Chen was determined to capture the Northern Lights, leading to one of her most memorable moments away from the platform.

"Because photographing the aurora requires a long exposure in complete darkness. Holding the camera by hand will inevitably cause camera shake," she explained.

"Since I didn't have a tripod I hung the camera strap around my neck, and used both hands to push the camera out as far as possible creating three support points. I held it steady like that to capture the aurora."

That trip to the other side of the globe offered more than just breathtaking photos; it reaffirmed her life's calling. The longer she stayed away from the water, the more anxious she felt, realizing how deeply intertwined with sport her identity has become.

"It is an indispensable part of my life," Chen said of diving. "While traveling last year, I gradually realized that if diving were taken out of my life something vital would feel missing. So I told myself that I am still truly passionate about diving. I have become quite inseparable from it.

"I need to stay grounded, taking solid steps forward to fulfil my dreams and do justice to the career I love. It's about constantly striving to be a better version of myself than yesterday," said Chen. "In every competition, I always hope to gain something new compared to the last one."