Diving Australia is saddened to hear of the passing of former AIS Diving and Australian Olympic Coach, Chen Wen.

Chen emigrated to Adelaide in early 1995 from China and had an immediate impact on young South Australian athletes, including one of the most decorated Australian divers, Robert Newbery.

Following the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, Chen moved to the AIS Diving program in Brisbane to assist the national team in their preparations for the Games of the New Millennium. This move proved a stroke of genius as Chen guided Robert Newbery and Dean Pullar to the Olympic Podium in the Men’s 3-Metre Synchro and the first men’s Australian diving medal at an Olympic Games since 1924.

As Chen’s reputation grew as one of the world’s best diving coaches, Chen moved to Great Britain in 2002 to work with then, National Performance Director and friend, Steve Foley.

Once again, Chen delivered and British Diving stood on the Olympic Podium after winning a silver medal in the Men’s 10-Metre Synchro, their first Diving medal for 44 years and first runner-up finish for 80 years.

Chen had a long-lasting influence on many in the sport of diving in China, Australia, and Great Britain, his happy smiling face and sheer positivity will be greatly missed on pool deck around the globe.

Diving Australia extends its sincere condolences to his wife Lingxia Guo and his daughter Wei Chen.