Parental guidance blossoms as young diver strikes Olympic gold

Dong Chunhua, associate gymnastics professor at Shanghai University of Sport, received a phone call from her daughter Chen Yuxi on July 27.

Chen and Zhang Jiaqi had earlier won gold medals in the women’s synchronized 10-meter platform competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, performing near-flawless dives. It was 16-year-old Chen’s first Olympic medal and the eighth won by Team China at the Tokyo Games.

Dong said: “She phoned four hours after the competition. She sounded happy but calm, telling me she was fine and was preparing for the next competition. She also sent me a photo of her wearing the gold medal.

“She has become accustomed to keeping calm in competitions, thanks to her daily training and regular appearances.”

However, Dong was not as calm as her daughter. She said training for the postponed Olympics had been Chen’s biggest challenge to date, as last year the teenager grew by 12 centimeters.

“For a diver, this means all the skills must be changed, including takeoff, twists, opening out and changing body position before entering the water,” Dong said.

“This also required a higher level of physical ability to face the increased speed and air resistance, meaning she has had to adjust to these changes since the second half of last year.”

Dong was not unduly worried, as whenever she phoned Chen, her daughter remained calm and told her not to fret.

The mother added: “She is away from home all the time and is dedicated to intensive training. In view of this, as a parent, I must help her emotionally to safeguard her mental health. I’m glad she faced the challenge with a positive attitude and performed well.”

Chen grew up in a sporting family. Her grandfather was a gymnast in Shanghai, her father was a senior gymnastics coach at the youth sports school in the city, while her mother was a child gymnast.

Dong said Chen became interested in gymnastics at an early age, often jumping, running and rolling in the gym at her father’s workplace.

The mother believes that children do not have to be overly quiet or obedient, unlike many parents who frown on “naughty” behavior by children.

“Children can develop their personalities while being slightly naughty or playing, but parents and teachers should guide kids and teach them the difference between right and wrong,” Dong said.

In 2010, when Chen was playing in the gym at her father’s workplace, she was invited to join the Shanghai diving team, as representatives from the team admired her potential for flexibility and endurance in sports.

Dong said, “I didn’t guide her in starting a sporting career, as this requires a high level of mental and physical discipline for long-term rigorous training and competitions, but I saw she had a passion for sports, so as parents, we offered our full support.”

After Chen joined the diving team, she returned home less often, as she trained throughout the year.

Dong, who phones her regularly, said, “I don’t focus on her skills but pay attention to her psychological health and teach her moral values.”

The mother also believes encouragement is useful when children succeed, but empathy is more important when they fail.

For example, when Chen performs unsatisfactorily in training or in competition, Dong comforts her by saying: “If it’s too hard to practice, you can come home.”

She added, “Often, courage is not given by others but generated by oneself.”

In 2019, after training with the national diving team for about six months, Chen won gold in the women’s 10-meter platform final at the World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.

At home that year, she teamed up with Zhang Jiaqi at the National Diving Championships, with the young pair winning gold in the women’s synchronized 10-meter platform final.

Dong sent her daughter essay questions for the Chinese test in the national college entrance examination, or gaokao, in Zhejiang province, with students asked to share their views on gains and losses in life.

Chen replied in a message, “I see gains and losses as part of my life — not starts or ends — as a way to improve myself and meet the right people.”

Dong said, “In this way, I know her ideas for better communication.” She added that she will encourage Chen to pursue higher education and broaden her horizons, as her daughter has reached a study age that is vital to her development.

“I once thought she might become a doctor, as she loved watching documentaries on medicine when she was a child. But she’s now chosen a road that she likes, and I will always be supportive,” the mother added.