Veteran Chinese shot putter Gong Lijiao concluded her 10th World Athletics Championships campaign with a ninth-place finish in Tokyo on Saturday, recording a best throw of 18.96 meters. Her teammate Zhang Linru secured seventh place with a 19.16-meter effort, as both athletes fell short of the podium in a fiercely competitive final.
The event saw Dutch athlete Jessica Schilder claim gold with a 20.29-meter throw, while American Chase Jackson (20.21m) and New Zealand's Maddison-Lee Wesche (20.06m) completed the top three. Notably, all medalists surpassed the 20-meter benchmark—a feat unmatched by other finalists.
Gong, a former world champion and Olympic medalist, acknowledged the result as reflective of current global standards in women's shot put. "Every championship teaches me something new," the 34-year-old told reporters, emphasizing her commitment to future competitions.
