China’s new sprint star Chen Yujie, 17, vows ‘no limits’ after Asian Games gold
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Chen Yujie (centre) pips Singapore’s Shanti Pereira (right) to the gold medal at the Asian Games on Sept 25.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
NAGOYA – China’s 17-year-old sprinter Chen Yujie said she has “no limits” after dominating the women’s 100m final for Asian Games gold.
She stormed to victory in a Games-record 11.06sec in Nagoya to showcase her potential.
Yujie, who turns 18 in December, called her emphatic victory on Sept 25 “the best present for my birthday”.
But the teenager does not want to stop there.
“Now I am the champion of the Asian Games and I want to achieve more on the international stage, at the world championships and at the Olympics,” she said.
“Now that I have become a champion, my goal will be to defend my title in the future.
“I am now in the position of challenging someone else, instead of waiting to be challenged by others.”
Yujie, who will also race in the 200m at the Games, added: “I have no limits.”
Chinese media on Sept 26 hailed what it hopes will be a new era for Chinese sprinting, having never won 100m or 200m Olympic gold.
The official website of the Olympics proclaimed her a “new sprint star”.
“I want to leave my mark for the Chinese women’s sprinters and for the Asian sprinters,” said Yujie.
Despite the victory Yujie admitted she had been nervous before the final.
“When I was on the training track my legs were shaking,” said the teenager, who beat two-time Olympian Shanti Pereira of Singapore into second by 0.15sec.
“I was very scared that this could lead to a false start. I thought a lot about that.”
Yujie also defeated the 30-year-old Pereira to win the 200m at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships. AFP