Under the glowing lights of Guangzhou, in the Chinese mainland’s Guangdong Province, the World Athletics Relays concluded at the Tianhe Sports Center to roaring applause from an electric crowd.
South African sprinter Akani Simbine, who powered his team to victory in the men’s 4x100m relay, summed up the mood: "China is a lucky country. Yes. China is a lucky country. Happy with China. Definitely will be back. Definitely will be racing more here."
Spain’s Daniela Fra, anchoring the women’s 4x400m relay, celebrated the venue: "The best. We loved it. We loved it. This track is the best track I've ever ran on."
For Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, the relays marked a milestone ahead of the World Championships. "We came here. We did all we wanted to do, so we're happy. For the first time, the Kenyan team is going to be fielded in World Championships. The environment has been crazy. And we're really excited," he said.
American Lynna Irby-Jackson, fresh off a championship record in the mixed 4x400m relay, praised the atmosphere: "The crowd's really electric today. So we're feeling good."
Canada’s Duan Asemota and Marie-Éloise Leclair, gold medalists in the mixed 4x100m relay, added between smiles: "The fans are great. The environments are great," and "The city's really nice," respectively.
Team GB sprinters Bianca Williams and Lina Nielsen, winners of the women’s 4x100m and participants in the 4x400m, highlighted the local hospitality: "The crowd's amazing. It's nice and packed. People are cheerful," and "The crowd is amazing and the people," they noted.
The Nielsen sisters—Laviai and Lina—also gave a shout-out to the local cuisine: "We love Cantonese food. We love the crowd. We're so welcomed and cheered on. We would happily come back to Guangzhou."
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe echoed these sentiments. "Good luck. Keep supporting your team. It's making great progress. And in the next few years, you're going to see world-class athletics in China," he said, underscoring a shared vision for the sport’s future.
Reference(s):
International athletes hail Guangzhou tracks at World Athletics Relays
cgtn.com
