After clinching the long-awaited women's 3m springboard diving world title, Chang Yani embraced her teammate and silver medalist Chen Yiwen in front of the cameras to celebrate.

Chang Yani of China competes during the women's 3m springboard final of the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar on Feb. 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

The Chinese duo just secured their third consecutive 3m synchronized title at the World Aquatics Championships on Wednesday. Unlike Chen, a two-time world champion in the individual event, Chang narrowly missed out on the top spot for consecutive times, clinching silver in 2023 and bronze in 2022. Now, she finally pocketed the coveted gold medal.

"From Budapest to Fukuoka, and now Doha, I have been climbing step by step, experiencing ups and downs along the way," she said. "I feel like a snail slowly crawling to its current position, and I will continue to strive for my dreams."

Chang's journey to the pinnacle of world diving began in her hometown of Xiantao, Hubei province, China. Introduced to gymnastics at a young age to bolster her health, Chang's natural aptitude was quickly apparent.

Liu Fen, her initial gymnastics coach, observed Chang's exceptional ability to master new moves swiftly.

It was during a talent search in 2009 that diving coach Ou Aijiang noticed Chang.

"Her arms and legs were longer than those of her peers, making her quite suitable for diving," Ou recalled.

Leaving her hometown for training would give Chang an unfamiliar feeling. "My parents comforted and encouraged me, promising to visit me every week, so I agreed," she said.

Initially a novice in the pool, Chang quickly developed her fondness for diving after her first leap from the springboard. She then rooted herself in diving, with her commitment and perseverance leaving a lasting impression on coaches and teammates alike. She would consistently push herself to enhance her physical fitness and skills.

"Since I chose it, I must give it my utmost effort to excel," she said.

By 2015, Chang had joined the national team, and she soon made a mark on the international stage, winning gold in the mixed synchronized 10m platform at the FINA Diving World Series in 2016.

Her transition from platform to springboard diving was seamless, culminating in numerous titles alongside Shi Tingmao. Following Shi's departure, Chang began her successful partnership with Chen in 2021, describing Chen as both a sister and a close friend.

"Synchronized diving requires coordination. Each dive, we encourage or remind each other. But in individual events, we just focus on own dives without paying much attention to each other's performances," she said.

Chang, who missed out on Tokyo 2020 due to an error in the qualifiers, saw her progress this time in Doha in her growing maturity and improved ability to adapt. Despite some mishaps in the individual preliminaries this time, she remained composed for her win in the final.

"Mistakes serve as good warnings for myself, allowing me to be more vigilant in the final and ensuring smoother performances," she said. "I've already secured my ticket to the Paris Olympics, which makes me very happy. I hope to continue working hard in the coming months to reach new heights."

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