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Chan Kin-wa

Two years ago in London, China won two gold, three silver and two bronze medals at IAAF World Athletics Championships. They will be sending 63 athletes to compete in 26 events at the Doha worlds. It will be interesting to see if they can improve on their performance two years ago when the biennial event kicks off on Friday.
The event serves as a good opportunity to measure the level of the Chinese squad before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics less than 12 months away. Below are five major medal hopes for China in Doha.
Gong Lijiao

DOB: Jan 24, 1989
Event: women’s shot put
World ranking: 1
2019 best result: 20.31 metres (world leading)
At 30, Gong has been the most consistent athlete in the Chinese squad since capturing her maiden world title in London two years ago. Of her 12 outdoor events this year, she only failed to win the Diamond League Shanghai leg in May when the home favourite surprisingly finished in second place. The veteran will be China’s biggest hope for a gold medal in Doha.
Lyu Huihui

DOB: June 26, 1989
Event: women’s javelin
World ranking: 1
2019 best result: 67.98 metres (world leading)
Having won a bronze and a silver respectively at the two last worlds, Lyu will be the favourite for gold in Doha. Like Gong in the shot put, she has also been consistently strong this year, shattering her own Asian record three times and being crowned the Diamond League overall champion last month. The world number one would be disappointed with less than a gold in Doha.
Liang Rui

DOB: Jun 18, 1994
Event: women’s 50km race walk
World ranking: 1
2018 China national champion
From a country that has been a global powerhouse in race walking for years, Liang will be aiming for her first world gold in Doha, especially with compatriot and world record holder, Liu Hong, preferring the shorter distance of 20km. The 25 year-old was hardly heard of before the World Race Walking Team Championships in Taicang, China last year but now she will be the one to watch at the worlds.
Liu Hong

DOB: May 12, 1987
Event: women’s 20km race walk
World ranking: 6
World record holder Liu, who won the 20km walk gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is another favourite among the China squad with four top-class athletes from the country taking part in the event. But Liu, who also shattered Liang Rui’s world record in the 50km with a time of 3:59:15 at the National Championships in Huangshan in March, is the main contender. Defending champion Yang Jiayu, though, is unlikely to give up without a fight, with world number one Qieyang Shenjie, May’s 2019 Taicang World Challenge champion, also in the mix.
Su Bingtian

DOB: Aug 29, 1989
Event: men’s 100 metres
World ranking: 19
In May, Su clocked 10.05 seconds at the Diamond League Shanghai, finishing fifth in the final. Although he may not be among the favourites for a medal in Doha, it will be his third appearance in the worlds. Su remains China’s main hope in the sprinting events despite struggling to regain his 2018 form. The 30-year-old equalled the Asian record of 9.91 seconds last year and has been hailed as the continent’s top male runner since the retirement of hurdler Liu Xiang.


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World Athletics Championships

IAAF World Athletics Championships: five Chinese track & field prospects to watch in Doha

Gong Lijiao wins gold at the 2017 World Championships in London and is well fancied to repeat that in Doha. Photo: Xinhua

Liang Rui (left) and Yang Jiayu in Doha in preparation for their event

Liu Hong (right) breaks the women's 50-km race walk world record

Gong Lijiao takes the athletes' oath at the sending off ceremony of the Chinese squad to the Doha World Championships

Lyu Huihui wins the women's javelin at the Diamond League, Roma in June

Sprinter Su Bingtian win the 100 metres at the 2018 Asian Games

Hong Kong race walker Ching Siu-nga hoping to beat the heat at world championships in Doha

Race walker Ching Siu-nga is hoping to finish higher than 35th at the world championships this weekend. Photos: Facebook

Ching finishes a tough training session at the Sports Institute in Fo Tan before leaving for the Doha World Championships

Ching trains at night time in Doha to prepare her race on Sunday which starts at 11.30pm

Chinese race walking athletes train at night time in Doha to prepare for the World Championships race on Sunday

Now for the Asian Games, Hong Kong race walker Jessica Ching eyes medal

Jessica Ching on her way to a new Hong Kong record in the 20km walk at the IAAF world championships in London. Photo: Jessica Ching/Facebook

Photo: Facebook

epa06142355 Gold medalist Jiayu Yang of China celebrates during the awarding ceremony of the women's 20km Race Walk at the London 2017 IAAF World Championships in London, Britain, 13 August 2017. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

Jessica Ching with mascot

Sport

China


China has a number of top medal prospects out in Qatar
The event will be used to see where China sizes up against global rivals 12 months out from the Tokyo Olympics



The event will be used to see where China sizes up against global rivals 12 months out from the Tokyo Olympics.


World Athletics

IAAF World Athletics Championships: five Chinese track & field prospects to watch in Doha

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} China has a number of top medal prospects out in Qatar The event will be used to see where China sizes up against global rivals 12 months out from the Tokyo Olympics

Gong Lijiao

China has a number of top medal prospects out in Qatar

The event will be used to see where China sizes up against global rivals 12 months out from the Tokyo Olympics