Original title: World Athletics Championships: China’s Dong Guojian ranked 23rd in the men’s marathon record-breaking event
Ethiopia’s Tora won the championship in the men’s marathon at the Oregon World Athletics Championships on the 17th with a time of 2 hours, 5 minutes and 36 seconds and broke the competition record. All three Chinese runners finished the race, with veteran Dong Guojian ranking 23rd, setting the fastest result for a Chinese male runner in the World Championships marathon event.
This World Championships Marathon was held on the riverside outside Eugene. In the past, the city marathon of the World Championships became a rural marathon. The road has no ups and downs, and the weather is cool in the early morning, which provides good conditions for the players to create good results.
Tora, the silver medalist in the men’s marathon at the 2017 World Championships in London, easily won the title and improved the tournament record set by Kenya’s Kirui at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin by one minute and 18 seconds. Another Ethiopian player, Geremu, won the silver medal, 68 seconds behind his compatriot.
China sent three runners who participated in the Tokyo Olympics last year to participate. Veteran Dong Guojian ranked 23rd in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 14 seconds. This is the fastest time in the history of Chinese men’s marathon runners participating in the World Championships. The previous best result was created by Yang Shaohui at the 2019 Doha World Championships, with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 17 seconds.
Yang Shaohui came in 31st with a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 56 seconds. Peng Jianhua ranked 45th with 2 hours, 16 minutes and 12 seconds.
Dong Guojian participated in the Daegu World Championships as early as 2011 and won the 13th place at that time, which is the highest ranking of the Chinese men’s marathon in the World Championships. He told reporters following the game that compared with 11 years ago, he is more mature and has a better mentality. If he maintains his current state, “it will not be a problem to be able to persist until the Paris Olympics.”
Yang Shaohui and Peng Jianhua had been in the leading group for the first 8 kilometers, but their physical strength declined and gradually might not keep up with the rhythm.
Yang Shaohui said that the rhythm was not very fast following the start. He felt that he should run at the pace of 3 minutes and 5 seconds, so he wanted to rush to the front to bring the rhythm. “The speed change is a bit too much in the back, which consumes too much physical strength. I still want to run at my own pace.” He said, “I am quite satisfied with this result. After all, I ran in 2 hours and 12 minutes, and I hope to run in 2 hours and 10 minutes in the future. .”
The 25-year-old Peng Jianhua said following the game that his physical strength was not particularly evenly distributed, and there was still a gap in strength. He hoped to go back and continue to practice hard. (Wang Zijiang)