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Sprinter Su Bingtian (R), pictured with Peimeng Zhang, believes China are just short of having a relay team to challenge the Japanese. Photo: AP
SportChina

Chinese sprinter Su sets his sights on challenging Japan after seeing rivals smash Asian record

100m runner, the first Asian to go under 10 seconds, says he is surprised by Japan’s second place in the Olympic 4x100m relay

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Nazvi Careem
Nazvi Careem
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China’s Su Bingtian, the first Asian to run 100 metres in under 10 seconds, said he was surprised by Japan’s second place in the Olympic 4x100m relay and said the Chinese are one quality sprinter short of matching the Japanese.

Japan clocked an Asian record 37.60 seconds in finishing second to the Usain Bolt-led Jamaicans.

WATCH: golden moments on Day 15 at the Rio Olympics

Half-Jamaican Aska Cambridge ran the anchor as he and teammates Ryota Yamagata, Shota Iizuka and Yoshihide Kiryu gave Japan a solid foundation as they eye gold in Tokyo 2020.

China finished a strong fourth.

“I think the China team did our best and we are very happy to finish fourth in the Olympics,” said Su, whose team briefly held the Asian record in the heats before Japan eclipsed it.
China’s Su (R) races in the men’s 4x100m relay semi-final. Photo: AP

“But I’m quite surprised by the performance of Japan to win the silver. They have some strong runners.

“We know the standard now that we have to aim at because Japan have done a lot to develop their sprinters.

“They had that one guy running the last leg and he is the one who was key for them. I think China are one sprinter short of reaching that level,” added Su, who led the Chinese to a silver medal behind Jamaica at the world championships.
USA’s Justin Gatlin and Jamaican Yohan Blake finish ahead of China’s Su. Photo: AFP

Su also praised the China athletics body for sending the sprinters to Europe and Florida, in the US, for training.

“We saw how they trained in overseas countries and we incorporated some of their methodologies,” he said. “That’s why we have been able to improve.”

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Japan were a surprise outfit in relay, says Su
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