Liu Xiang Fan at the 10th Chinese National Games (© Jiro Mochizuki-Agence Shot)
Olympic 10,000m champion Xing Huina's quest for three gold medals came to an abrupt halt after her disqualification in the final of the 1500m, providing the major highlight of day three of the 10th Chinese National Games in Nanjing, eastern China.
Physical 1500
Although she reached the line first in 4:03.98, the Shandong star, who won the 10,000 on Monday (17 October), was later disqualified for her obstruction over the final 200 metres. Entering the final curve, Xing and 19-year-old Shanxi athlete Liu Qing were well clear of the field with Xing leading. When Liu made her move for the lead, Xing clearly used her elbow to prevent Liu from passing and continued her obstruction through the final straight. Liu, who was later declared the winner, ran the second best junior time of the season, 4:04.00, bettering her personal best from last season by six-and-a-half seconds. 18-year-old Huang Jing was second with a PB 4:10.13, with Xie Sainan third in 4:11.11, a season's best. After the race still thinking she had won, Xing said that she hoped to improve her finishing speed in the future to prevent losing major championships in the final sprint. Had her result stood, it would have a big improvement for the Olympic champion, well under her 4:09.01 personal best.
Guan pleases hometown crowd with Long Jump win
28-year-old Guan Yingnan, the favourite in the women's long jump, finally won the National Games title. Jumping before her home Jiangsu crowd, Guan, who reached a personal of 6.95 in 2000, took top honours with a 6.65 leap. The Liaoning-born athlete was second at the 1997 Games, and has also reached major championships finals, including a ninth place finish at the 2001 World Championships. 18-year-old Zhang Yuan jumped a personal best of 6.50 to finish second just ahead of Liu Huahua, who was third a 6.47 best effort. 2001 Games silver medallist Zhu Yanyan was fourth this time around, with a season's best 6.37, with Gu Ying, the reigning champion, a distant eighth with a leap of just 6.22.
In close Heptathlon battle, Shen repeats
The heptathlon title truly came down to the last event, with Shen Shengfei defending her title with a 6,165-point tally. Shen led heading into the 800, with both Liu Haili and 29-year-old veteran Wang Hailan in close contention, with a possibility to overtake Shen in, since both were superior 800m runners. For the first time in years, Shen had to run the two laps as fast as she could in domestic competition, and finished in 2:20.46, her second fastest ever. It was her first 6000-plus heptathlon of the season. The 20-year-old Liu, from Liaoning province, was the best of the trio in the 800m, clocking a career best 2:15.68 to tally a 6,132-point tally, enough for the silver. Propelled by four personal bests - and two wind-aided performances superior to ber PBs in the 100m hurdles and 200 - Liu bettered her earlier best of 5,771 points by a wide 361-point margin. Wang Hailan, finishing third, also set a personal best of 6128 points, the first 6000-point total of her career. Competing in her third National Games, Wang was seventh in 1997 and runner-up in 2001.
16-year-old wins 20K Walk
16-year-old Li Gaobo upset the more experienced walkers in the men's 20km walk, racing to a 1:18:22 win, just shy of his 1:18:07 Asian Junior record he set at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Cixi earlier this season. Urged on by the Jiangsu home crowd, the teen finished more than half a minute ahead of pre-race favourite Zhu Hongjun, who was second in 1:19:00. The 22-year-old Zhu, who finished ninth in the Helsinki World Championships and sixth at the Olympic Games in Athens, had been the clear Chinese No. 1 after lowering the Asian record to 1:17:41 in Cixi. 28-year-old 50 km specialist Yu Chaohong, who was fourth in the Athens Olympics over that distance, took third in 1:19:08. Yu won the 20 km at the National Championships earlier this season. In a truly high calibre race, 50 km world leader Han Yucheng finished fourth in 1:19:36.
In the men's 1500m, national record holder Dou Zhaobo won the title comfortably clocking a season's best of 3:40.88. Tang Baojun was second with a personal best 3:41.10, with Yang Anyue taking the bronze medal with a season's best of 3:44.54. 2001 winner Yang Weize faded to a disappointing ninth, well out of the medals, in 3:50.84.
A pair of men's finals on the infield
The men's High Jump lacked the quality seen lately in China. Zhang Shufeng took the win with a 2.24 effort, with Liang Tong second (2.21, season's best), and 2005 World Youth champion Huang Haiqiang third (2.18). 2001 winner Wang Zhouzhou was ninth (2.15).
In the Javelin Throw, national record holder Li Rongxiang (84.29, 2000) successfully defended his title. The 33-year-old from Zhejiang province took the lead in the fourth round and finally reached past the 80 metre mark with his final throw of 81.06, his second best throw of the season. Chen Qi was second with a 78.99 effort, with Liu Yanhong (77.09) third.
Liu takes to the stage
Liu Xiang made his first appearance at the National Games, easing to a 13.73 win in his heat. Another favourite, Shi Dongpeng, won his heat in 13.77 to set up a challenge for Liu in the final.
The Games have reached the half way stage and after three days of competition. Shandong heads the medal table with 5 golds and 11 total medals. Hosts Jiangsu are a close second with 4 golds and 15 total medals. In the point competition where the top 12 finishers earn points, Jiangsu is the clear leader with 232 points. Shandong is second with 215.7 points and Liaoning third with 159
Day four will feature the start of the Decathlon with national record holder Qi Haifeng; the women's 20 km Walk final, the men's 110m Hurdles final; and the heats of the women's 5000, with both Sun Yingjie and Xing Huina competing in the first heat. Three field event finals will also be contested - the women's Pole Vault, with Asian record holder Gao Shuying; the men's Discus Throw; and the men's Shot Put.
Click here for complete results
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
