Chen Yuanjiang runs third-fastest Chinese time to win 110m hurdles, clinch Asian Games spot
Star 100m hurdler Wu Yanni also books a place for Nagoya in September, after running out of time to put on her makeup and going ‘barefaced’
Twenty-year-old Chen Yuanjiang clocked the third-fastest time in Chinese history to win the men’s 110-metre hurdles at the National Athletics Championships, securing his spot for this year’s Asian Games.
Star hurdler Wu Yanni also booked her ticket to the multi-sport event after winning the women’s 100-metre hurdles final despite not being fully prepared.
The three-day competition in Rizhao, Shandong province, which ends on Sunday, serves as the country’s trials for September’s Games in Japan and has drawn almost 900 athletes.
On Saturday, the second day of competition, Shanghai’s Chen dominated the highly anticipated men’s hurdles final, storming to victory in a personal-best 13.14 seconds to meet the Asian Games qualifying standard.
The performance moves him into a tie with Liu Junxi as the third-fastest Chinese athlete in the event’s history, trailing only Olympic champion Liu Xiang’s 12.88 seconds and “the glasses flyer” Xu Zhuoyi’s 13.12 seconds.
In the women’s 100m hurdles final later on Saturday, Mo Jiadie, who was competing outside her usual event of 400m hurdles, led for the first 90m before crashing at the final hurdle.