China’s ace sprinter Su Bingtian has arrived in Paris, lending his support to the Chinese track and field team competing at the ongoing 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Though he won’t be participating, Su is closely following the team’s progress and has high hopes for the new generation of athletes.
“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 told CGTN Sports Scene’s Jiang Mengxi. He expressed concern over injuries, noting, “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.”
Su reminisced about the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, where he, along with Xie Zhenye, Tang Xingqiang, and Wu Zhiqiang, secured the men’s 4×100-meter relay bronze medal. Reflecting on the upcoming competitions, he expressed confidence in the young sprinters stepping up to the challenge. “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 said. “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.”
At 35, Su has revealed that he will not compete at another Olympic Games. “I am definitely not able to compete at the Olympic Games again,” he shared. “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.”
As Su steps back from the Olympic stage, his legacy and support continue to inspire the next generation of Chinese sprinters striving for glory in Paris.
Reference(s):
Su Bingtian looks forward to Chinese sprinters' performance in Paris
cgtn.com
