Gong Lijiao of China reacts during the women's shot put final at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, the United States, July 16, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

CHENGDU - China's Olympic shot put gold medalist and two-time world champion Gong Lijiao opened her 2023 season in high spirits as the 34-year-old collected two titles here this week.

Thanks to her last-round effort of 19.66m, Gong rallied to beat national teammate Song Jiayuan at the same venue on Saturday and further improved the world-leading mark en route to claiming the title at the Southwest China Athletics Invitation Meeting

The vastly experienced Gong opened her season with a world leading mark of 19.30 meters to take victory in the first leg of the Chinese Throws Meeting at the Sichuan Xipu Training Base in Chengdu on Tuesday.

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It was her first competition since winning a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States last July.

Thanks to her last-round effort of 19.66m, Gong rallied to beat national teammate Song Jiayuan at the same venue on Saturday and further improved the world-leading mark en route to claiming the title at the Southwest China Athletics Invitation Meeting.

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Song, 25, finished second with 19.47m, representing the second-best mark in the world so far this season. Zhang Mengdi of Liaoning took third place with 17.35m.