Javelin talent Yan Ziyi in no rush to compete at global elite stage

BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- It has been a remarkable summer for javelin athlete Yan Ziyi, as the 17-year-old claimed two gold medals at the first Youth Athletics Games of China in Shenyang, days after winning at the 2025 Chinese Athletics Championships.

At the Youth Athletics Games, open to athletes aged 16 and 17, Yan secured the individual javelin title after just two rounds despite competing with an injury.

"I haven't fully recovered so was a little cautious today, I just wanted to confirm the first place, so I quitted the rest four rounds," Yan said.

Yan then helped Zhejiang win the javelin team event with the best Asian U18 performance, adding to two medals in shot put to showcase her dominance in throwing events.

Born in 2008, Yan has been a standout since entering senior national competitions in 2024. She rose to prominence by breaking the world youth record with a throw of 64.28 meters in Hangzhou last April and has since broken the mark four times. Her most recent record came at the 2025 Chinese Athletics Championships in early August, despite competing with a sprained foot.

In that competition, she struggled in the first two rounds and injured her right ankle on her third throw. Refusing to withdraw, she stumbled in the fourth attempt before producing a personal best of 65.89 meters in the fifth round.

"After the third throw I told my coach that my right heel was swollen. She told me to quit, but I wanted to keep throwing," Yan said. "The fourth throw was invalid, but the javelin went quite far. So I decided to give myself another try. And I did it."

Her throw of 65.89 meters ranks third on the world list this season, surpassing the winning mark of Japan's Haruka Kitaguchi at the Paris Olympic Games. However, Yan is ineligible for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo next month, as athletes under 18 are not permitted in throwing events. She also missed the Paris Games for the same reason.

Yet to compete in the Olympic Games or World Athletics Championships due to age restrictions, Yan and her coach Lu Xiurong remain patient as they focus on long-term development.

"We do have regrets, if she were involved in the Paris Games last year, it would be hard to predict the champion," said Lu.

"But Yan is clear with the regulations, and she didn't think too much. On the other hand, we all know that the Olympic Games is at the highest level, let a young girl participate at this kind of stage may be a little premature. So we should keep training, step by step, to wait for our real chance," Lu added. ■