Hitting the Home Stretch Toward Tokyo
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20 | Monday, June 21, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY SPORTS TRACK AND FIELD Hitting the home stretch toward Tokyo Su Bingtian and Gong Lijiao impress as China’s Olympic hopefuls gauge preparations at national championships By SHI FUTIAN [email protected] China’s track and field stars con- In 2019, I was not in tinued to fine-tune their Olympic good shape and it has preparations at this month’s Chi- nese National Athletics Champion- not been an easy task ships, with a number of standout to restore my strength. performances boding well for their chances at the Tokyo Games. Now another The star of the show at Shangyu challenge for me is Sports Center in Shaoxing, Zhejiang how to maintain my province was sprinter Su Bingtian, who won the men’s 100 meters title momentum... with my in 9.98 seconds on June 11. It was the results this season, I seventh time the 31-year-old has dipped under the 10-second mark in have not let down my the discipline. support team.” “It was really important that I could have a good result before the Su Bingtian, start of the Tokyo Olympics. It gives Chinese sprint star me a better indication of what shape I’m in and gives me confidence before the Games,” said Su. Shaoxing. The 32-year-old won with “My overall condition is good a throw of 20.31 meters to become now, but there are still some minor the only female shot putter to sur- issues to sort out. I still have room pass the 20m mark this year. for improvement.” “Earlier I said my goal was to Su showed great momentum in throw over 20 meters at this compe- 2018 and 2019, winning numerous tition, and now I have made it. That 60m and 100m races at domestic has given me a lot of confidence for and international meets. the Tokyo Olympics,” said the two- As the first-ever Asia-born sprint- Sprinter Su Bingtian was thrilled to run under 10 seconds (9.98) in the 100 meters at this month’s Chinese National Athletics Champion- time world champion. er to break the 10-second barrier in ships in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY “I believe I can achieve a better the 100m in 2015, Su twice equaled result in Tokyo. Today I didn’t have a the Asian record of 9.91 seconds in really good pace at the start, so I feel 2018 and clocked 9.92 to take that I have room for improvement. Now year’s Asian Games title in Jakarta. we have less than 40 days to go However, a waist injury in late before the Olympics, so at the 2019 slowed Su’s progress, before Games I will be stronger and hope to the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out achieve my dream. the entire 2020 season to thwart his “It’s been a while since an athlete comeback plans. anywhere in the world has thrown Su credits his support team for over 20 meters, which is a barrier for helping him to return to somewhere shot putters. Whoever can break the near his peak ahead of what’s likely barrier can be more confident.” to be the veteran’s last Olympics. Wang Chunyu won the women’s “In 2019, I was not in good shape 800m in heavy rain with a personal and it has not been an easy task to best of one minute and 59.42 sec- restore my strength. Now another onds — 0.08 sec inside the Olympic challenge for me is how to maintain A standard to book her Tokyo ticket. my momentum,” Su said. “The rain definitely slowed me “I received the best possible treat- down to some degree. I was expect- ment for my injuries, and with my ing to finish in 1:59. I was prepared results this season I have not let for running in heavy rain. No matter down my support team.” what the conditions are, I will Xie Zhenye clocked 20.57 seconds always try my best,” said the 26-year- to win the 200m in Shaoxing, and old. was second behind Su in the 100m “I have made some progress this in 10.15 sec. year, and I am looking forward to The 27-year-old owns the Asian improving my results in the final at 200m record (19.88), and in 2018 the Tokyo Olympics.” became the second Chinese sprinter Gong Lijiao was in superb form at the nationals, becoming the first Wang Chunyu produced a personal-best time to win the women’s Other highlights of the national to break the 100m 10-second barrier, female shot putter this year to throw over 20 meters. XINHUA 800m at the national championships. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY championship were Huang Chang- with a personal best of 9.97. zhou’s victory in the men’s long “All these events are for the Tokyo jump with a leap of 8.19m, veteran Olympics. We don’t necessarily need on what sort of shape I’m in. We par- at these meets.” “Su is recovering well and looks in Chinese sprinter has ever reached Tian Zizhong’s men’s shot put tri- to have stunning results, but the ticipate in these meets for the Olym- Rather than being rivals on the very good shape… as long as he’s in the final of the 100m at the Olym- umph (19.72m to refresh his PB), main goal is to test our training and pics. If we are not strong enough track, Su and Xie very much consid- good condition our relay team will pics, and it’s a similar situation for and Asian-record holder Lyu Hui- to see if there are problems to be due to a lack of training, just contin- er themselves teammates and be stronger and be more competi- the 200m. So we want to make some hui’s women’s javelin victory. Lyu, fixed,” Xie told China Newsweek. uing to race is pointless. But if we friends who will fight together for tive,” Xie said. breakthroughs.” however, was not satisfied with her “In terms of what meets I might are not motivated or excited the nation in the 4x100m relay in “Speaking of the 100m, Su and I Women’s world shot put champi- winning throw of 59.35m in heavy participate in next, that will depend enough, we should keep competing Tokyo. will fight for spots in the final. No on Gong Lijiao also impressed in rain. BASKETBALL By the tip of Durant’s shoe, Milwaukee marches on NEW YORK — A Game 7 thriller, airball with 0.3 seconds remaining. trying to give everything I can and finish with 13 points, eight assists the NBA’s first do-or-die game to go “We got good looks there in over- it’s just frustrating,” Harden said. and seven rebounds. to overtime in 15 years, came down time. We just didn’t knock them In a series where the teams often Blake Griffin had 17 points and 11 to a matter of centimeters. down,” Durant said. “Respect to the didn’t produce the quality of play rebounds for the Nets, who thought If Brooklyn star Kevin Durant was Milwaukee Bucks in how they pre- that was anticipated between the they had a title contender after just slightly farther away — or if his pare, how they challenged us all league’s two highest-scoring outfits, acquiring Harden but had their foot was slightly smaller — he ends series and made adjustments all Game 7 was a thriller, the first to three superstars on the floor togeth- the highest-scoring NBA Game 7 series. We’ve got nothing but respect need extra time since Dallas beat er for just 43 seconds in this series. ever with a 3-pointer to win the for that ball club.” San Antonio in the 2006 Western They lost for the first time at home series. Middleton added 23 points and 10 Conference semifinals. in the postseason. “We got lucky his toe was on the rebounds for the Bucks, who The Bucks had a 109-107 lead The Nets had struggled with slow line and they called it a 2,” Milwauk- reached the East finals for the sec- before Middleton missed a 3, but starts but put together a good one in ee’s Khris Middleton said. “But once ond time in three years. They will the Bucks got the rebound. They Game 7, getting 10 points from he hits that shot, we’ve got to forget play either Philadelphia or Atlanta then turned it over on a shot-clock Durant to lead 28-25 after the open- about it. There’s still a ball game left. in a series that starts Wednesday violation to give the Nets a final ing quarter. That wasn’t the game.” night. chance with 6 seconds left. They Middleton and Holiday were both And given a second chance, the Durant played all 53 minutes and threw it in across the court to 2 for 11 in the first half, combining to Bucks cashed it in for a ticket to the forced OT with a turnaround jump- Durant, who hit a spinning, turn- miss all six 3-pointers in a rehash of Eastern Conference finals. er that was just centimeters from around jumper from just inside the their shooting struggles from when The Bucks withstood Durant’s being a 3-pointer that would have 3-point line — maybe even on top of the series began in Brooklyn.