China's 15th National Games delivered thrilling athletic drama in Guangzhou this week as Zhejiang sprinter Xi Xiaoheng rewrote history while veteran Gong Lijiao cemented her shot put legacy.
In Sunday's men's 800m final, Guangxi's Liu Dezhu charged ahead early, maintaining his national record pace. But Xi executed a masterful tactical race, conserving energy before unleashing a blistering final 100-meter sprint to clock 1:45.48 – eclipsing Liu's previous record by 0.3 seconds.
"This victory belongs to everyone who believed in my late-race strategy," Xi told reporters post-race, his voice cracking with emotion. "We've shown Chinese middle-distance running can compete globally."
The women's shot put circle witnessed pure dominance as 36-year-old Hebei star Gong Lijiao defended her throne against younger challengers. Despite Zhang Linru's personal-best 19.47m throw, Gong sealed her fifth consecutive National Games title with a 19.68m final attempt – matching her 2021 Olympic-winning distance.
"Every gold feels like the first," said Gong, now the most decorated shot putter in Games history. "When the young athletes push me, we all rise together."
These performances highlight China's growing athletics depth as the nation prepares to host multiple international competitions in 2026.
