Chinese athletics picks up the pace

The marathon triumph capped a memorable campaign for the Chinese athletics team, with sprinter Xie Zhenye's victory in the men's 100m arguably the highlight.

Clocking 9.97 seconds, the star veteran stepped up to fill the void left by the absence of three-time Asiad champion Su Bingtian, whose season was ended by injury problems.

"This victory is redemption for me and is a huge confidence boost for all Chinese sprinters. For quite a long time, I haven't been in good condition and I was a little bit lost, but many people helped me and encouraged me," Xie told China Daily in an exclusive interview.

"It's been tough for me and my team this season. So this gold is great recognition for me and boosts my confidence to chase quicker times," added Xie, who owns the Asian 200m record (19.88).

The outlook had looked bleak for Chinese sprinting in the buildup to the Asian Games. At August's World Athletics Championships in Budapest, there were no Chinese sprinters in the field. It was the first time in 14 years that the nation had not sent a single sprinter to the worlds.

"For about two to three months before the Games, I was very quiet on social media and took no interviews. I was thinking, what the fans really want are Chinese sprinters who can win gold medals at major events. So I was really focused, and did my best in training," Xie said.

"The moment I won gold at the Asian Games was really special for me. Initially my mind went blank, because I was so overcome with joy that I didn't know how to express myself. I actually felt at peace — the feeling you have after achieving a long-term goal you've worked hard for."

Xie won his second gold on Tuesday when he teamed up with youngsters Chen Guanfeng, Yan Haibin and Chen Jiapeng to claim the men's 4x100m relay title.