The Chinese mainland's top sprinter, Su Bingtian, will not compete in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris after struggling to maintain regular training over the past two years.
Despite the men's track and field relay team, led by Xie Zhenye, training diligently in Italy for the Olympics, Su has been sidelined due to persistent injuries. These setbacks have prevented him from attending systematic training sessions and caused him to miss the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province in 2023, along with several other key events.
Su Bingtian made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 by setting an Asian men's 100-meter record of 9.83 seconds during the semifinals. He went on to finish sixth in the final, showcasing his exceptional speed and dedication.
In a heartfelt message, Su expressed his support for the relay team: \"I want to tell the Chinese national relay team that, though I can't be there on the track to race on your side, I want to send my wishes and my energy to you. I hope you can reach the final at the Paris Olympics and enjoy the happiness of the race. I hope you can surpass yourselves, achieve a good result and make out country proud. Best wishes.\"
The relay team has a strong track record, having secured the men's 4×100-meter relay bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. They have already qualified for the Paris Olympics as of May.
Reference(s):
China's ace sprinter Su Bigntian to skip 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris
cgtn.com
