Three-time Olympic diving champion Quan Hongchan has opened up about the immense pressure of public life, revealing a personal battle with body image, extreme dieting, and online criticism that led her to consider retiring from the sport at just 19 years old.
In a recent interview, the celebrated athlete reflected on a challenging past year, her first as an adult, stating that managing her weight had become a persistent source of stress.
Quan revealed she went to extreme lengths, including limiting herself to a single meal per day, yet still struggled with her physique.
This personal struggle was intensified by relentless public commentary and online scrutiny.
Quan shared that for a long time, she felt too uncomfortable to wear clothes she liked, such as skirts and shorts, opting instead to hide her body in long-sleeved shirts and trousers.
The pressure became so great that she was afraid to step on a scale, face cameras, and even found it difficult to look at her own reflection in the mirror.
In an emotional appeal, Quan asked the public for compassion. "Please don't criticize me anymore," she said, "Don't criticize my family, and don't criticize my friends."
The immense strain from her physical concerns and the external pressure reached a breaking point after the Paris Olympics, where she admitted she "really wanted to retire."
Now, standing at a personal crossroads, Quan says diving is no longer the entirety of her world.
She acknowledged that beyond winning or losing, she must now navigate the pervasive pressures of fame and the complexities of adulthood. "The adult world is not that easy," she reflected.
Quan, who became a student at Jinan University in 2025, expressed a longing for her more carefree younger self and said she hopes to take time to rest and reflect before deciding on her future path.
Her candid revelations have been met with an outpouring of support from netizens, many of whom urged her to prioritize her happiness and not put herself under too much pressure.
Quan Hongchan catapulted to international fame at the Tokyo Olympics, winning the women's 10m platform gold medal at just 14 years old.
She continued her incredible run at the Paris Olympics, securing two more golds and becoming the youngest-ever three-time Olympic diving champion.
