Tracking future stars

Despite coming home lamenting the twilight of its celebrated veterans, China's track and field team remains positive for the future, with a contingent of young talent making its progress felt at the recent worlds.

Signing off another World Athletics Championships without a gold, following its thin harvest in 2023, Team China has returned from Tokyo with a sobering reminder of the gap between the world's best and its own elite athletes, after collecting just two silver and two bronze medals at the biennial meet last month.

The waning power of once world-beating heroes due to age and injury in its strength events, such as women's throwing and men's jumping disciplines, has cost Team China its competitive edge.

Women's shot put veteran Gong Lijiao bid an emotional farewell to the worlds at the same venue that witnessed her Olympic triumph in 2021, after she placed ninth at her 10th, and certainly last, worlds on Sept 20 at Tokyo's National Stadium.

"It was my last world championships for sure. My (right knee) injury is too serious for me to go for another one. All I have left is my passion for the sport," said the 36-year-old, who's collected eight medals, including two golds, at 10 worlds since 2007.

"I've experienced the proudest wins in my prime and some of the most disappointing near-misses and losses when I was down.

"I've seen it all and done it all. I have no regrets. This is a life that I've lived to the fullest."

In the men's triple jump, another Tokyo 2020 medalist Zhu Yaming also felt the pull of Father Time, as the 31-year-old, considered a veteran in the discipline, failed to sail even close to his season best on his return to the former Olympic venue where he won silver four years ago.

"I think, at this stage of my career, after recovering from multiple injuries, it's really challenging to try to maintain the consistency I've come to expect," said Zhu, who finished 11th, his worst final result ever at the worlds.

As barren as it was for some of the established stars, the Tokyo meet wasn't altogether a total disappointment for Team China, with the raw potential of its next generation delivering a silver lining in the Japanese capital.