Hammer thrower Zhang expects late progress at worlds

By Lu Wenao Source:Global Times Published: 2015-6-28 23:33:01

Star hammer thrower Zhang Wenxiu of the ­People's Liberation Army team won the women's event in the National Championships on Saturday with 71.91 meters, defeating top rivals Wang Zheng of the Shaanxi team and Liu Tingting of the Liaoning team.

Zhang, whose gold medal was returned to her earlier this year after being stripped of it at the 2014 Asian Games, said she needs to compete more to perform better.

"I just resumed regular training recently," Zhang said. "The result is acceptable."

Zhang won gold at Incheon with a personal best of 77.33 meters, but her gold was taken back after she was tested positive for illegal substances in the South Korean city. The Olympic Council of Asia restored her award after further analysis on her sample.

On her first return to competition in May, Zhang threw the hammer 71.37 meters, finishing sixth in the IAAF World Challenge Beijing.

The three-time World Championships bronze medalist said she will step up her training as a home World Championships looms.

"I came here to feel the competition, but it seems I need to do a lot before the World Championships," she said. "I think it's going to be tough as injuries may occur from increased training.

"I will do my best at the World Championships."

The IAAF World Championships will be held at the Bird's Nest in Beijing from August 22 to 30.

Zhang is among the marquee names at the three-day National Championships, as stars like Zhang Peimeng and Su Bingtian didn't join the competition after qualifying for the worlds.

Sunday saw Li Ling of the Zhejiang team winning the women's pole vault with a height of 4.50 meters. She set her personal best, also the Asian record, of 4.66 meters at the Asian Championship earlier this month in Wuhan.

But her record is still 40 centimeters away from Yelena Isinbayeva's world record set in 2009.

Star long jumper Li Jinzhe of the Beijing team finished with a jump of 8.11 meters.

Monday will be the final day for the national event, including the 4x100-meter relay and the 110-meter hurdles.



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