From left to right: Gong Lijiao, Lyu Huihui, Xie Zhenye, Su Bingtian (Photo/CGTN)
China is sending 82 athletes to the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta to compete in 47 athletics events that will take place between August 25 an 30 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Indonesia's capital.
Team China will compete for gold at the men's and women’s 100-meter and 200-meter races, and the4x100 meters relay.
Su Bingtian finished two 100-meter races in 9.91sec in June, tying the record in Asia set by Qatar's Femi Ogunodein 2015. Xi Zhenye set a new record within China at the men’s 200-meter sprinting, clocking 20.16 seconds in May and winning the title at the IAAF World Cup in Athletics in London in July. Both runners are competing for gold in their events.
As for women, Wei Yongli is China’s biggest hope for 100m and 200m races. She's the defending champion, and last month, she broke the 11-secondbarrier in the 100m, clocking 10.99sec.
Though Team China also enjoy an advantage in the men's and women's 4x100-meter relay races, they will face competition from Team Japan. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Ryota Yamagata, Shota Iizuka, Asuka Cambridge and Yoshihide Kiryu brought home the silver medal during men's 4x100-meter relay with 37.60 seconds, a new record in Asia. Though Shuhei Tada replaces Lizuka, Japan is still the biggest obstacle in China’s way to the gold. Meanwhile, Yamagata and Cambridge will not make the 100-meter race a cakewalk.
In women's sprinting, Chisato Fukushima will be the biggest competitor for China. In her first trip to the Asian Games in 2010 in Guangzhou, Fukushima reigned in both 100m and 200m races. Four years later, she lost to China's Wei Yongli at both events in Incheon. Fukushima, 30, will try to redeem herself during her third trip to the Asian Games.
Team China are expected to dominate the women's throwing events. Gong Lijiao, defending champion of women’s shot put, won the championship at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix of the IAAF Diamond League in May with 19.99 meters. At the Herculis in Monaco in July, Gong again won the title with 20.31 meters. As long as she keeps cool nerves, Gong is unlikely to let anyone else take away her victory.
Lyu Huihui is hopeful to bring the same advantage to the women's javelin throw. She was crowned the champion at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix of the IAAF Diamond League in May with a record-breaking 66.85 meters. Then in July, Lyu won another title at the London Grand Prix with 65.54 meters. The only possible rival she will come against in Jakarta will be herself.
