He Jie of China crosses the finishing line during the men's marathon final of athletics at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Oct 5, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Pocketing 19 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze medals, the Chinese track and field team once again proved its dominance at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. And with Team China's veteran stars still in their prime, a number of breakthrough performances by a younger generation of athletes bodes well for the future.
Team China's final athletics triumph at the Hangzhou Asiad was He Jie's victory in the men's marathon — China's first-ever gold in the event at the Asian Games. The historic moment captured the imagination of fans on social media, with the hashtag "He Jie wins marathon gold" viewed over 20 million times on Weibo within just two hours of his victory.
"Before the start of today's race, I just told myself, even if I fail to win gold, I must show the spirit of Chinese athletics. Our entire team prepared well for the Asian Games, and we managed to win this gold. The Hangzhou Asian Games are just a start for us. I believe we'll make more breakthroughs in the future," said the 24-year-old, who clocked 2:13:02.
He Jie's coach, Xiao Li, reckons the win is hugely significant for Chinese long-distance running.
He Jie of China celebrates after the men's marathon final of athletics at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Oct 5, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
"I'm absolutely thrilled, because we made history for Chinese marathon running. We talked about if we could achieve a miracle, and we did it. It has not been easy for our team and we have been under some pressure. We didn't even know how to celebrate because this truly is a surprise.
"But after a few days of joy, as we always say, we need to start from zero again and move on to our next goal. Bigger tests await, especially with the Paris Olympics coming next summer."
The marathon triumph capped a memorable campaign for the Chinese athletics team, with sprinter Xie Zhenye's victory in the men's 100m arguably the highlight.
ALSO READ: He Jie wins first men's marathon gold for China at Asiad
Clocking 9.97 seconds, the star veteran stepped up to fill the void left by the absence of three-time Asiad champion Su Bingtian, whose season was ended by injury problems.
"This victory is redemption for me and is a huge confidence boost for all Chinese sprinters. For quite a long time, I haven't been in good condition and I was a little bit lost, but many people helped me and encouraged me," Xie told China Daily in an exclusive interview.
"It's been tough for me and my team this season. So this gold is great recognition for me and boosts my confidence to chase quicker times," added Xie, who owns the Asian 200m record (19.88).
Xie Zhenye (left) of China competes during the men's 100m final of athletics at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Sept 30, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
The outlook had looked bleak for Chinese sprinting in the buildup to the Asian Games. At August's World Athletics Championships in Budapest, there were no Chinese sprinters in the field. It was the first time in 14 years that the nation had not sent a single sprinter to the worlds.
"For about two to three months before the Games, I was very quiet on social media and took no interviews. I was thinking, what the fans really want are Chinese sprinters who can win gold medals at major events. So I was really focused, and did my best in training," Xie said.
"The moment I won gold at the Asian Games was really special for me. Initially my mind went blank, because I was so overcome with joy that I didn't know how to express myself. I actually felt at peace — the feeling you have after achieving a long-term goal you've worked hard for."
ALSO READ: Chinese sprinters celebrate golden double at Asiad
Xie won his second gold on Tuesday when he teamed up with youngsters Chen Guanfeng, Yan Haibin and Chen Jiapeng to claim the men's 4x100m relay title.
Gold medalist Xie Zhenye (center) of China, silver medalist Puripol Boonson (left) of Thailand and bronze medalist Muhammad Azeem Bin Mohd Fahmi of Malaysia attend the victory ceremony for the men's 100m final of athletics at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Sept 30, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Paying tribute to the young guns, Xie said: "There are so many talented young sprinters coming through. They are absolutely bursting with energy and potential. Compared with my generation of sprinters, they are more competitive than when we were at their age, and they have a much better support system," Xie added.
"I believe they will eventually surpass what we've achieved. I hope they can lift Chinese athletics to a higher position on the biggest stages."
China also excelled in the field events, with women's shot put legend Gong Lijiao again leading the way by winning her third straight Asiad gold, with a throw of 19.58 meters.
"I still have a dream to finish, which is to reach 21 meters. This is the ultimate challenge for me, and this goal is my best motivation," said the 34-year-old world and Olympic champion.
Gong Lijiao of China competes during the women's shot put final at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept 29, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
"I have won many gold, silver and bronze medals at Asian Games, world championships and Olympics. When I finally decide to retire one day, I hope that the younger generation of Chinese shot putters will surpass me.
READ MORE: Gong strikes gold but laments falling short of her goal
"I have been testing the limits of not just myself, but also of women's shot put in China. I hope to contribute more to its growth, and I want to help attract more attention to the sport. In the future, I hope China can continue to claim glory in women's shot put on the world stage."
