Dive, dream, discover

But, as time passed, she began to embrace the sport.

"The feeling of diving off the platform became something I truly enjoyed," she says. "Diving has become an inseparable part of me, filled with a range of emotions."

In 2018, Chen won her first national title in a senior competition, taking gold in the women's individual 10m platform at the National Diving Championships. The victory boosted her confidence, and, the following year, she earned a spot on China's national diving team.

At the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, Chen made her Olympic debut in spectacular fashion. Alongside teammate Zhang Jiaqi, she claimed gold in the women's 10m synchronized platform and added a silver in the individual 10m event.

Reflecting on her earlier years in the sport, Chen admits that she struggled with self-doubt. "I used to get caught up in every small detail," she says. "If I didn't perform well in training, I would dwell on it for a long time, which affected my mindset, both in practice and competition."

She acknowledges that her performances were sometimes inconsistent, often overshadowed by fear.