Ren Longyun (China) running in the marathon at the Osaka World Champs (© Getty Images)
Cool weather continued during the 6th City Games in Wuhan, China, on Thursday (1 Nov), the fourth day of the competition. Temperature went up to 18C during the afternoon, but had lowered down to 13C when the evening competition started.
This year’s edition of the City Games, the most important junior competition in China, has special importance because it should indicate Chinese prospects ahead of IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics, Bydgoszcz, Poland (8-13 July 2008), even though some of the athletes on show in Wuhan will not be eligible given that those born 1987 to 1991 can compete here, whereas the qualification age for the global meet in 2008 covers the years 1989 to 1992.**
First national record of the meet
The low temperatures were again perfect for distance running and Beijing marathon runner-up Ren Longyun (2:08:15 NR – 21 Oct 2008) had decided on a different race plan having lost in the 5000m on Wednesday in a final sprint to Lin Xiangqian.
20-year-old Ren, coming to the race with a personal best 40 seconds better than any other competitor, only stayed with the main pack until 2000m mark before quickly breaking away. By halfway Ren was already leading by 50m and only had one more task to finish at that point, another national record. And Ren did just that finishing in 28:08.64, his second national record in just 11 days, to wipe Dong Jianmin's 28:10.03 old national and competition record from the 1995 City Games off the record books.
In the race where 17 out of 21 participants set a personal best, Yang Dinghong took the second place in 28:47.55, just before Gao Laiyuan who repeated his third place finish from the 5000m race in 28:48.02.
Zhao Bing became the 8th Chinese junior to go under 29 minutes with 28:54.99 and is still a junior next year for the Bydgoszcz World Junior Championships.
18-year-old beats World Champs finalist
In the Triple Jump it did not go well for Zhong Minwei. The 20-year-old, who only missed the national record (17.34m) by 7cm in June jumping a big personal best 17.27m and later was 11th in the Osaka World Championships final, was well beaten here. Zhong could only manage 16.18m which was enough for the second place but nowhere near 18-year-old Cui Lifu's personal best 16.73m for the win.
Cui finished a disappointing 7th at the National Student Games after equalling his 2006 personal best 16.58m in the qualification, but in the City Games he took the gold in style. Cui was born in December 1988 so he is not eligible for the World Junior Champs next season.
The strongest men's event in China at the moment, 110m Hurdles, had a very close finish in the final with 20-year-old Huang Hao grabbing the win in 13.84 seconds ahead of juniors Yin Jing (13.85) and Li Haolun, who set a personal best 13.90 for the third place.
Wang Qingbo was the favourite and easy winner in the men's Javelin Throw competition. The 19-year-old threw the second best result of his career with 76.58m winning mark. Jiang Xingyu was second with a personal best of 74.52m and Li Yu third with a 73.63m toss.
Liu Xiongwei won the men's 200m in a personal best 21.16 just edging Li Xianglong to second place in 21.17. Li had been the favourite after his 21.11 personal best in heats. Despite running 20.74s earlier this season, the 100m champion Zhang Peimeng did not take part to the 200m competition in these Games.
Ban Lei won the men's 800m in a personal best 1:50.62 before Tian Ye who set a PB as well finishing in second place in 1:50.99. Six competitors set personal bests in the competition.
High quality discus event throws up Bydgoszcz prospects
In the women's competitions, Jiang Lan won the 200m in a personal best 23.46 for her second podium finish, she was third in the 100m. Wang Jing was second in another PB 23.64 and Ha Xianping third this time clocking 23.81, she was second in the 100m.
Zhang Liqiu won the 800m final in 2:05.16 before Long Xiaomei's 2:05.99. Zhang Lili was third in 2:06.64 and favourite Cao Kun could not even get a medal finishing in fourth place in 2:08.12.
Chen Yumei's was the fastest over 400m Hurdles winning in 57.51 seconds season's best, only 0.01s off her personal best. Wang Hui was second in 58.22 and Ding Jieqin third in 58.92s.
In a high quality women's Discus Throw competition seven competitors set a personal best including top three finishers. 2006 World Junior Champs silver medallist Pan Saili was strongest winning with a 59.51m best throw.
Yang Fei, competing her first year in national level was a surprise second with a 57.14m PB, bettering her previous mark by almost three metres. Jiang Fenging was third with a 57.05m PB. 2006 World Junior Champs bronze medallist Tan Jian threw a season's best 55.98m for fourth place.
2007 World Youth Champs bronze mdallist Jin Yuanyuan was fifth with a 55.16m result, and 17-year-old Jin and Xi Shangxue (6th 55.02m PB) and Chen Tingting (7th 54.48m) will also be looking to be on the Chinese team for the Bydgoszcz World Junior Champs in 2008.
In a star studded women's 20000m track Race Walk there were no surprise names on the top. The first four to finish were all 1987 born and experienced walkers. Liu Hong took the win in 1:31:16.18 to add one more title to her resumé, she has already won the Asian Games and World Junior Championships in 2006 and also was 6th at the 2006 World Cup. Song Xiaoling was second in 1:31:18.79 and 2005 National Games winner Bai Yanmin third in 1:31:47.95.
The 6th City Games will conclude on Friday with women's 10,000m final being the most interesting race of the last day.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
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**NOTE: Any athlete under the age of 20 years but of at least 16 years of age on 31 December 2008 (that covers the year's 1989-1992) may compete in IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics Bydgoszcz, Poland (8-13 July 2008).
