Xing Huina celebrates winning the 10,000m at the 10th National Games (© Getty Images)
Xing Huina, the Olympic 10,000 metre champion, completed the first phase of her triple-win project to highlight the first day of the 10th Chinese National Games in Nanjing. on Monday evening.
In a fast-paced race, Xing won handily, clocking 31:00.73. But the biggest surprise was sprung by the runners who shared the race's fast tempo: Sun Yingjie and Zhou Chunxiu, the top-two finishers from yesterday's (16 October) Beijing International Marathon, who had decided after all to contest the race a little more than 30 hours after the conclusion of the marathon, in which each ran under 2:21:20.
Sun and Zhou - No rest for the weary!
As if the marathon and the two hour flight to Nanjing had no affect whatsoever, Sun finished second, only losing to Xing in the homestretch sprint, reaching the line in 31:03.90. Zhou, who took fifth in the Helsinki World Championships marathon, hung on for the bronze, clocking a big personal best of 31:09.03. Yesterday (16 October) she lowered her marathon best by more than two minutes; today she chopped 64 seconds from her 10,000 metre best from 2003. 19-year-old Bao Guiying was fourth with a personal best of 31:27.35, the best junior mark in 2005, with 16-year-old Bai Xue fifth in 31:28.88, another personal best and second in the U-20 world list behind Bao.
Although men are light years away from women in Chinese distance running, the men's 10,000 was also impressive. 20-year-old Chen Mingfu from Yunnan province took the title in 28:16.40, a 50 second improvement, and the second best ever Chinese performance. Du Pengyuan was second in 28:29.37 - a 51 second personal best - and Han Gang was third in 28:35.73, another personal best. In all, the top 15 finishers ran to seasonal or personal bests.
Brotherly battle in the Steeplechase
The men's Steeplechase featured a battle between twin brothers Sun Wenli and Sun Wenyong; Wenli, the defending champion, took top honours in the final sprint, clocking 8:32.36, his best performance since the 1997 National Games. Wenyong defeated his brother this year in the National Championships, and most likely was not disappointed with his 8:33.37, an effort that bettered his previous best by 11 seconds. Shi Linzhong finished third in a personal best of 8:33.94 while the pre-race favourite, 18-year-old Lin Xiangqian, had to settle for fifth (8:39.59 PB).
Four women's field event finals
The day 1 women's programme featured four field event finals. Jing Xuezhu equalled her season's best of 1.92 to take her second consecutive National Games title in the High Jump. 17-year-old World Youth Champion Gu Biwei reached a personal best of 1.90 for second, with Gu Xuan, another 17-year-old, third with an 1.84 clearance. But Zheng Xingyuan, the 16-year-old 2005 world junior leader who cleared a national junior record of 1.92 this year, had an off evening, and couldn't manage better than 1.80.
Li Meiju also added a second National Games title in the Shot Put. The 24-year-old reached 18.88, with 20-year-old Li Ling setting a big personal best of 18.68 for second place. Li Meiju, who has been the best shot putter in China since her National Games win four years ago, found herself in trouble early, behind Li Ling until the fourth round when she unleashed her lone big effort to claim the victory. Qian Chunhua (18.58 PB) was third, with Zhang Chunjing (18.28) fourth. Zhang's result was notable since she had not topped 17 metres prior to this competition.
Compelling Hammer competition
In the women's Hammer, the World junior record holder Zhang Wenxiu, who reached 73.24 this season, had to settle for second after a compelling battle with Liu Yinghui. Zhang lead after three rounds with a 69.10 best while Liu struggled. Liu, who reached a personal best of 72.51 at the this year's World University Games, found herself facing elimination, having reached just 60.85 after two rounds. She reached 67.36 in round three to advance, and unleashed her big toss, a 72.17 in the fourth. Zhang was able to answer in the fifth round with a 71.84 effort, but not enough to nab the win.
Yang Meiping reached a personal best of 68.09 to take third while Gu Yuan, fourth in the 2003 World Championships, couldn't overcome the injury setbacks that left her without a result in Helsinki in August, and finished a distant sixth (65.40).
Rounding out the evening on the infield was the Javelin competition, won by Ma Ning with a 60.64 heave, her first 60 metre throw of the year. The home crowd favourite, World junior record holder Xue Juan, was second place with a season's best 59.87 effort, also the leading junior mark of 2005. Geng Aihua reached a personal best of 59.04 to finish third.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
