Diving champion giving a Midas touch to hometown

Quan Hongchan is not new to winning gold medal in her career. But when she defended her women's 10-meter platform diving event at the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics earlier this month, it has given a Midas touch to her hometown.

The achievement has not only made her a dazzling celebrity again, but also the tiny Maihe village where Quan lives, in Mazhang district in the coastal city of Zhanjiang, Guangdong province.

The 17-year-old tortoise-loving Quan repeatedly demonstrated her special water splash disappearance technique at the swimming pool at the Paris Olympics, winning waves of cheers and screams from the spectators.

Quan also won the gold medal in women's synchronized 10 meter platform diving, partnered with Chen Yuxi who won the silver medal in the women's 10-meter platform diving event, at the Paris Olympics.

Since Quan has won the gold medal and became the youngest three Olympics gold medalist, many tourists are flocking to Maihe village to see how her home looks like, local media reported.

Most of the residents in the village are surnamed Quan.

Tourists are making a beeline to take photos posing before a phoenix tree in front of Quan's home.

Her fellow residents in the village are enjoying brisk business from selling "water splash disappearance saplings".

Seeing the large business opportunities, some villagers began selling phoenix saplings at stalls via livestream near Quan's home after they dubbed the saplings as "water splash disappearance saplings", claiming the saplings can bring good luck to buyers. A sapling costs 38 yuan ($5.28).

Many villagers have also opened restaurants and stalls, turning a small road in front of her house into a food street, to serve the large number of tourists.

The villagers, including some from surrounding villages, have also established stalls to sell local produces, snacks, beverages and toys, among others.

Her elder brother Quan Jinhua said he was surprised to see their doorsteps have become a food street.

"Previously, it used to take a long walk to eat at night, but now when I go out, I have everything," he said.

According to Quan Zihua, an official with the administrative committee of the village, about 1,000 people are now visiting every day, turning the village into a tourist attraction.

Recently, most of the cars in the village have license plates from outside. And now the village has planned parking spaces and have even arranged special personnel to direct traffic," he said.

To meet the rush of visitors to the village, both township government and police sub-stations have deployed staff and dozens of volunteers to patrol and maintain social order and clean up the roads day and night, Quan said.

"Sometimes, we have to work till late at night," he added.

Quan Huacai, a neighbor of the Olympic gold medalist, said posters of Quan Hongchan now adorn the entrances of Maihe village and Quan Clan Ancestral Hall, attracting many people to visit and take photos in front of her house.

"It's not easy for Quan Hongchan to have won three Olympic gold medals at such a young age. She has now been a role model for many children here, so many parents bring their children to visit her home," said the neighbor.

Quan Hongchan's father Quan Wenmao serves mooncakes to treat tourists at his home to thank their love and admiration for his daughter.

He denied rumors that his daughter is not returning to home as she thinks her normal live would be disturbed by the large number of visitors to the village.

The large number of visitors have offered little impact to his normal life, as relevant departments have sent special personnel to maintain the social order in the village, the father said.

"Nowadays I am living near our orange orchard," he said.

Quan Hongchan's parents rely on the oranges they grow in the orchard for their livelihood. And, she usually lives together with her grandparents or in the orchard when she returns to her village.