Olympic champ Xie Siyi eyes international competition return after two years away from diving

When Xie Siyi chose to step away from diving after winning two golds at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, many of his fans thought he was done for good.

The 27-year-old, from Guangdong Province in the People's Republic of China, had won his two Olympic titles and was now famous, the thinking went. There was no reason for him to continue.

But that, it turns out, was not the truth. He's spent the last two years productively, but diving was never far from his mind.

Xie told Chinese state broadcaster CCTV with a laugh: "I got married last year and now I have some further life plans, a lot of people know this."

He also used his time away from competition to complete his studies, earning a master's degree. Additionally, Xie helps coach youth sports – something keeping him in touch with his roots as an athlete.

"During this (time) I never stopped thinking about understanding and analysing diving," he admitted. "Over the past two years, when they have had competitions, I have watched every event and have been observing the developments.

"Talking to myself, I discovered I (still) love diving."

And so, he's back, with an eye on Paris 2024. He won't be the only returning diver though – Great Britain's Tom Daley has also been included in British Diving's elite programme after his own two-year break.

• How to qualify for diving at Paris 2024

Xie Siyi not "just focusing on participating"

While Xie is the reigning Olympic champion in both the 3m springboard individual and synchronised events, will his body let him regain his top form?

He's battled with chronic ankle injuries his entire career, having broken his right ankle in 2014. In training and at recent Chinese National Championships, Xie has continued to wear heavy bandages around both ankles to prevent further injuries.

Two years spent away from the pool, too, took their toll. When Xie returned to training with the provincial Guangdong team in May, he would tire quickly and the muscle memory would fade, he admitted.

"Sometimes we would take a three-day break and return to training, and I would feel like my body didn't know how to practise again," Xie said. "After a break of two years, I hope to work harder and fight to make it for the Paris Olympics."

To that end, Xie has been competing in national competitions being held to determine the make-up of China's national team heading into the Olympic year. At stake is a potential spot on the team for both the World Championships, due in Doha in February, as well as at the Olympics in Paris.

At the national championships, Xie's return to competition was a successful one as he finished second.

If he is selected to go to the Olympic Games, the defending champion has no doubts: "If you participate in the Olympics, I feel that the goal must be to win the gold medal. It is impossible to have the mentality of 'just focus on participating'."

Xie Siyi and Wang Zongyuan: Who will lead China's diving team?

There's one very clear elephant in the room though.

In Xie's absence, one man has stepped up big time this Olympic cycle: Wang Zongyuan, Xie's synchro partner in Tokyo and the silver medallist behind him in the individual event.

Wang has won five World Championship and two Asian Games gold medals in the last two years in Xie's absence, and also topped the standings at the Chinese team's first selection event as well as at the national championships.

That worry can wait for Xie, who was simply happy to be back on the springboard. "I feel very excited because I haven’t competed in a long time. I felt that I was slowly regaining the feeling (of competing). Overall, I'm satisfied with my performance."

Wang, too, is glad that both Xie and Rio 2016 champion Cao Yuan are back to challenge him.

"The efforts of both my seniors definitely give me a lot of motivation," he told CCTV. "(Their participation) gives me the chance to withstand the pressure and ultimately grow."