Wu Yanni Photo: VCG
As the athletics events at the Paris Olympics continue, the China national track and field team has secured one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal. The new generation of athletes is attracting attention.China's racewalking athlete Yang Jiayu won the gold medal this Thursday, in the women's 20-kilometer race walk final, with a time of 1 hour, 25 minutes and 54 seconds, finishing 25 seconds ahead of the silver medalist.
"I am very happy and excited. I have waited eight years for this gold medal. I walked at my own pace from start to finish and finally won this gold medal," Yang said in an interview after the race.
Yang has thus become a grand slam champion, holding Olympic gold, World Championships gold, and a world record.
Born in 1996 in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Yang had previously earned a spot at the Rio Olympics, and has won gold in many games.
At the age of 15, Yang achieved second place in a school cross-country race, which marked the beginning of her racewalking career.
In the 2016 National Racewalking Grand Prix and Olympic Trials, Yang secured a third place in the women's 20-kilometer race with a time of 1 hour, 28 minutes and 12 seconds, earning her place at the Rio Olympics.
"In 2016, I experienced the Olympic atmosphere as a substitute in Rio. From that moment, a seed was planted in my heart; I wanted to compete in the Olympics as a main contender and win medals," Yang recalled.
In 2021, she won the 20-kilometer race walk gold at the 14th National Games. After a year of relaxation due to the lack of competitions, she underperformed at the 2023 Budapest World Championships.
"My primary goal was the Paris Olympics. I had a year to summarize and prepare," Yang said.
Yang fulfilled her promise and adjusted her condition over the year.
China's athlete Feng Bin won the silver medal in the women's discus throw with a throw of 67.51 meters, setting her personal best in three Olympic appearances and achieving a new high for China in the discus event.
In the final, Feng's first throw reached 66.33 meters, placing her first initially. After the first three throws, she remained in second place with a throw of 67.51 meters. She was unable to surpass this mark in her final three attempts and ultimately secured the silver medal.
"Although the result is average, I am still very happy to win an Olympic medal," Feng said. She mentioned that a minor Achilles tendon issue two weeks before the competition affected her performance.
"It is an affirmation, confirming that I can continue to advance from this silver medal, aiming for the Olympic gold medal and better personal results."
Chinese rising star Zhao Jie won the bronze medal in the women's hammer throw at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday.
Making her Olympic debut, Zhao Jie appeared confident and she quickly found her rhythm.
Since the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese team has won a medal in this event at each edition of the Games.
Born in 2002, Zhao Jie first appeared in the women's hammer throw final at the National Games in 2021.
In 2023, Zhao won the gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships and silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
As a rising star in Chinese athletics, Wu Yanni has attracted attention with each appearance. Recently, she achieved the best Asian performance of the year in the 100-meter hurdles, showing excellent form.
In her Olympic debut, Wu ran 12.97 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles preliminaries, qualifying for the repechage.
China's Xu Zhuoyi advanced to the semi-finals in the men's 110-meter hurdles preliminaries with a time of 13.40 seconds, finishing first in his heat.
Xu, known for his scholarly demeanor and "study star" reputation, is referred to as "Glasses Guy" by many. At 21, he has achieved excellent results in major domestic and international events, becoming a rising star in China's men's 110-meter hurdles.
