China's ace sprinter Su Bingtian has arrived in Paris ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. While he won't be competing this time, Su has been closely following the Chinese track and field team's preparations and performances.
\"First of all, I wish the Chinese track and field team a safe competition because from preparation to qualification, everyone has put in a lot of hard work,\" Su shared with CGTN Sports Scene's Jiang Mengxi. \"I worry about anyone getting hurt before the competition, especially after I saw the news a short time ago when Li Ling, a pole vault veteran, got injured just before the Games and had to pull out from Paris. I feel particularly sad for her because we have been friends for a long time, and our ages are similar, so I especially hope that Chinese veterans can make their last stand in the field.\"
Reflecting on past achievements, Su recalled securing the men's 4×100-meter relay bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games three years ago alongside Xie Zhenye, Tang Xingqiang, and Wu Zhiqiang. Although he won't race in Paris, Su expressed confidence in the new generation of Chinese sprinters surpassing the veterans.
\"This year there is definitely more attention on sprints, because we have entered the stage of new and old since last year, and we can see that in this year's Chinese sprint team,\" Su stated. \"There are many young runners who are also creating very good results and are surpassing us. I hope they will be able to show their talents at the Paris Olympic Games this year, and our hard-won success in sprinting will continue to be extended.\"
As Su approaches his 35th birthday in late August, he revealed that he does not plan to compete in another Olympic Games. \"I am definitely not able to compete at the Olympic Games again,\" he said. \"I am now giving myself some recovery time and I hope that if before this year's winter training in December my body can recover to the normal training level through systematic training, that I will be able to run in next year's National Games.\"
Reference(s):
Su Bingtian looks forward to Chinese sprinters' performance in Paris
cgtn.com
