Sun ready to return after two-year suspension
Disgraced Chinese long-distance runner Sun Yingjie says she hopes to compete in next year's Beijing Olympics after her two-year ban for doping ends today.
The 28-year-old (pictured), who was kicked off the Chinese team after testing positive for steroids at China's National Games in 2005, will make her official comeback at the Xiamen Marathon in Fujian province in January, reported the Beijing Youth Daily.
However, due to poor fitness she'll miss Sunday's domestic Olympic qualifier marathon in Beijing - which means she won't be able to compete in the marathon at the Olympics. Instead, she'll concentrate on grabbing last-gasp places in the 5,000m and 10,000m Olympic races, considered her two strongest disciplines.
'At present, Sun is only in average form and needs systematic training following two years out of competition,' her coach Tao Shaoming said.'She will reappear in the Xiamen marathon ... where we hope she can run well.'
