Setting the pace for the next generation

New kids on the block

The men's sprint events at the National Games also saw a changing of guard, as star veterans Su Bingtian, 36, and Xie Zhenye, 32, both likely ran their final races in Guangzhou.

Su, who became the first and only Chinese man to qualify for an Olympic 100m final at Tokyo 2020, didn't sign up with any individual events, only running a leg on Guangdong's men's 4x100m relay, while Xie missed the cut for the 100m final before finishing 7th in his strength distance 200m.

In the wake of their waning speed follows a younger group of talented runners, led by 20-year-old sprinter Li Zeyang, who became the first man born after 2000 to win the 100m title at the National Games on Monday, and his counterpart Shi Junhao, also 20, who came out strongly from the blocks to win the 200m on Wednesday.

"Obviously they are already better than me and Su at the same age. I hope they can lead Chinese sprinting to a new level," said the reigning 200m Asian record holder Xie.