Gong strikes gold but laments falling short of her goal

Even after winning her third Asian Games gold, Chinese shot put legend Gong Lijiao was not 100 percent satisfied with her performance.

The all-conquering veteran came up short in her bid to break the 21-meter mark, so left the stadium feeling a tinge of disappointment.

"I'm happy that I won gold, but honestly speaking, the result was not the best. So it's OK to say that there are some regrets, which will now motivate me to keep pushing myself as I try to achieve my ultimate goal at the Paris Olympics next year," said the 34-year-old, whose throw of 19.58m ensured she topped the podium last Friday.

"I feel that my overall form this season has been even better than when I won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, but I didn't adjust myself well enough and, therefore, failed to produce my best in Hangzhou."

In August, Gong was also left frustrated when she threw 19.69 to claim bronze at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The reigning Olympic champion had hoped to crack the 20-meter mark in the Hungarian capital.

"The month before the Asian Games was quite tough for me. I competed at the world championships, but the result was not ideal. I was upset, but I knew I needed to put it behind me as quickly as possible, as I wanted to win my third Asian Games gold," said Gong.

She said she couldn't have asked for a better atmosphere inside Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium as she chased the elusive 21m mark.

"The moment I walked into the stadium, I heard the deafening roar of the home fans in the stands. I heard that the day that I competed, there were more than 35,000 spectators there. Every time the Chinese athletes entered the field, there was a new wave of cheering. An atmosphere like that is so important for Chinese athletes. It really spurs us on to produce better performances."

She also savored the moment she stood on the podium during the national holiday celebrations.

"I really like the design of the gold medal. It's just like a mooncake. Winning gold during the Mid-Autumn Festival is a really beautiful memory for me," she said.

Gong has become an icon of Chinese athletics. She competed at her first Olympics at the 2008 Beijing Games, initially finishing fifth but subsequently being upgraded to the bronze-medal position after two athletes were disqualified for violating anti-doping rules.

After pocketing silver at London 2012, she could only manage fourth at Rio 2016, before golds at the 2017 and 2019 world championships established her as the sport's dominant force.

Gong finally got her hands on Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020. That victory was China's first-ever Olympic title in a field event.

She made her Asian Games debut in Guangzhou 2010, when she won a silver, with three golds following over the next three editions of the Asiad. But, even though she still makes it look easy, winning is far from a certainty for the veteran.

"As I grow older, winning Asian Games golds is becoming harder and harder. Looking on the bright side, I'm more experienced. So I want to thank my team, who give me fantastic support," said Gong.

"I was also in peak condition when I had to settle for silver at the Guangzhou Asiad, but I caught a cold just before the Games. So that shows you need a little luck to win gold at a major event."

Compared to her younger self, Gong said that she now has a much more "mature" mentality, adding: "I used to easily lose concentration during competitions. For instance, if someone threw further than me, I would become nervous. Now I only focus on my own performance."

And that focus remains firmly fixed on throwing beyond 21 meters next year in Paris.

"Actually, since the Tokyo Olympics, I haven't been happy with my results. This is a challenge for me. So my team has been helping me to adjust my training methods. The goal is to produce the best result at the Paris Games next year. My goal was 21 meters, and that remains the same," said Gong, who these days is also busy attending to her role as vice-president of the Chinese Athletics Association as well as coaching young Chinese shot put talents.

In a message to the young guns, she said: "Achieving that one highlight moment requires years of hard work from an athlete. I've been training for 20 years, and through my own story I just want to let more people feel the spirit of Chinese athletics.

"I want to tell the young athletes: Don't give up easily when you encounter little challenges. You have to try harder, and keep chasing your dream. Athletics is a sport where young athletes shine, and I hope more and more young Chinese athletes can shine on the world stage."