China's Quan Hongchan (right) and Chen Yuxi pose with their medals on Tuesday after respectively winning gold and silver in the women's 10m platform diving event at the Olympic Games in Paris, France. (WEI XIAOHAO/CHINA DAILY)
Chinese diver Quan Hongchan triumphed in the women's 10-meter platform diving event on Tuesday at the Paris Olympics, defending her title in the event, claiming her second gold medal at the Paris Games and securing China's 22nd gold medal overall.
Quan's teammate Chen Yuxi won silver, and Kim Mi-rae of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea won bronze.
Quan and Chen had also won the gold medal in the women's synchronized 10m platform on July 31.
Before Tuesday, the Chinese delegation had already amassed 21 gold medals, 18 silvers and 14 bronzes in the first 10 days of the Paris Games. Amid fierce competition, there have been remarkable breakthroughs as well as results that fell short of expectations.
The shooting events, now completed, have been especially rewarding for China, with Generation Z athletes Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao sparking the gold rush for the Chinese team. China achieved a historic best in shooting with a total of five golds, two silvers and three bronzes.
In swimming, the Chinese team started slowly but gained momentum, securing two golds, three silvers and seven bronzes. With 12 medals total, the team doubled its count from the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, and 22 more athletes stood on the podium compared with Tokyo.
The biggest surprise came from 20-year-old Pan Zhanle, who shattered his own world record in the men's 100m freestyle final with a time of 46.40 seconds to win gold. He then clinched another gold with his teammates in the men's 4x100m medley relay.
Zhou Jinqiang, vice-president of the Chinese delegation, highlighted the significant impact of the Chinese swimming team at this year's Games, which challenged the dominance of European countries and the United States.
"Pan is the first Asian athlete to win the men's 100m freestyle Olympic gold medal since the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics," Zhou said.
He noted that netizens have compared Pan to Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, saying "the Bolt on land, Pan Zhanle in the water", which Zhou said underscores "the significance of this gold medal".
Zhou also said that the gold medal in the men's 4X100m medley relay reflects the team's overall strength, breaking the US'40-year dominance in the event. And although the Chinese mixed 4X100m medley relay team won silver, they still broke the world record, showcasing the balanced and comprehensive development of Chinese swimming.
Additionally, swimmer Zhang Yufei won a total of six medals (one silver and five bronzes) at this Olympics, making her the Chinese female athlete with the most medals in a single Olympic Games. She now has won a total of 10 Olympic medals, making her the most decorated Chinese Olympian.
China has also achieved remarkable results in several events, including women's BMX and women's singles and mixed doubles in tennis, and it narrowly missed gold in team events in men's gymnastics and women's archery.
Zhou, the Chinese delegation's vice-president, highlighted the intense competition of the Olympics, noting that athletes face enormous pressure, resulting in an error rate that is higher than in other competitions.
"Winning and losing are both normal outcomes," he said. "Therefore, I call for understanding and compassion for athletes who make mistakes or fail to meet expectations during the Olympics."
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