China's Quan Hongchan was pleasantly surprised when her country's winter Olympics ski champion Eileen Gu showed up at her press conference Wednesday after Quan and teammate Chen Yuxin won the women's synchronized 10-meter platform event.
Quan told reporters Gu was one of her idols at a press conference after the medal ceremony.
"She is so excellent and so beautiful," said Quan with a timid smile.
Her jaw dropped when Gu, who won gold medals in Big Air and halfpipe as well as a silver in slopestyle in the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, walked up to the stage to say congratulations.
"Your sport is more scary than ours," Quan told Gu as they were comparing notes about their Olympic experience.
Gu was among the spectators cheering for the Chinese pair in Wednesday's competition.
"It was my first time meeting them," Gu told reporters. "I do winter sports so it is an eye-opening experience for me as well to be able to talk to summer Olympic athletes and learn from them."
The 17-year-old Quan became an overnight sensation in China after the diver, who comes from a humble background, won her first Olympic gold in Tokyo in the women's 10-meter platform event (when was awarded at least one score of 10 on each dive in her list).
The short-haired diver's brevity and timidity in answering questions did not make her any less of a media darling than Gu, who was born in the United States but has taken China by storm with her Olympic wins along with her confidence and exuberance in media interviews and sponsor advertisements.
"When will I see you again?" an excited Quan asked as Gu went up to take photos with her and teammate Chen.
The answer could not be heard as photographers swamped over to snap the moment.