Tokyo 2020: China’s Nina Schultz to fulfil grandmother’s Olympic dream
- Star 1950s high jumper Zheng Fengrong missed out on 1956 Melbourne Games because of Chinese boycott
- Zheng Ninali, as the former Canada heptathlete is known in China, has her qualification confirmed by World Athletics
The Commonwealth Games silver medallist, who is China’s first naturalised athlete in track and field, makes the 24-strong list for the heptathlon on account of her world ranking. She came in at 20th on the list.
Only 11 athletes met the entry standard of 6,420 points and the 13 others in the Olympic field were selected based on their world ranking.
Schultz, 22, won the World Athletics Challenge in Arona, Tenerife, early in June with 6,358 points – just off the automatic qualification mark. She followed this up with 6,324 points at the Estonia Championships.
02:09
China’s swim star Sun Yang to miss Tokyo Olympics despite doping-ban reduction
The news came a day after Chinese websites had reported that she had missed the cut, ranking 25th by a single point. However, Zheng Ninali – as she is known in China – can now fulfil her grandmother’s Olympic dream.
Zheng Fengrong became the first Chinese world record-holder in 1957, competing in the high jump.