by sportswriter Liu Yang

FUZHOU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Fresh from winning relay gold and an individual bronze at the 15th National Games, Chinese hurdler Lin Yuwei has set her sights on defending her Asian Games title next year.

The 26-year-old made history two weeks ago in Guangzhou, teaming up with her Fujian teammates to claim victory in the inaugural 4X100m mixed relay. Their winning time of 40.37 seconds set a national record and stands as the world's second-fastest time this year.

The mixed relay, run in a "woman-woman-man-man" sequence, made its National Games debut this year and will also feature as a new event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"I'm honored that we won the first champion of this event at the National Games," Lin told Xinhua. "This achievement comes from the hard work of every team member. We gave our absolute best when it mattered most."

Four days after her relay triumph, Lin returned to the track for her signature event, the women's 100m hurdles. In the competitive final where all three medalists finished under 13 seconds, the defending champion secured bronze.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, she provided an analysis of her performance: "If the full score is 100 points, I'd give myself about 92."

The missing eight points were due to identifiable causes. "I started well, but when others caught up at the fifth hurdle, I became slightly unsettled and hit the barrier. I hit another at the ninth hurdle. Without those errors, I believe I could have been 0.05 seconds faster."

Lin's performance highlighted the versatility and resilience that have characterized her steady rise in Chinese athletics.

She first gained national attention in 2015, winning 4X100m relay gold at the inaugural National Youth Games. By 2021, she had become national champion in the 100m hurdles, and in 2023 she claimed the Asian Games title in Hangzhou with a time of 12.74 seconds, winning gold and qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Now 26, Lin finds herself transitioning from a promising newcomer to an established veteran.

"I always felt like a kid in Chinese athletics, but as time passed, I've become one of the older team members," she reflected.

She recalled her early days watching inspiration like Wei Yongli, the Asian Games champion who first sparked her ambition.

"I never imagined I'd share the track with her 11 years after watching her win at the 2014 Asian Games," Lin said.

This progression from admirer to peer has shaped Lin's understanding of her responsibilities.

"Now I'm watching the younger athletes grow up," she said, recognizing how the cycle of inspiration continues with the new generation.

Her approach to training and competition reflects maturity. Comparing her career to cooking, she said: "Anything worth doing requires a solid foundation. Like simmering soup, low and slow heat produces the best results. As the Chinese saying goes, if you're impatient, you can't eat hot tofu."

The philosophy of patience and deliberate progress has served her well through the natural fluctuations of an athletic career.

"The human body is a complex structure," she said. "You can't always be at your peak. The challenge is to stay focused during the low periods and stay humble during the highs."

After a brief hometown visit in Fujian Province, Lin has already shifted focus to her next major challenge, defending her Asian Games title next year. Her bronze in Guangzhou has only sharpened her determination.

"I'll learn from this National Games experience and keep moving forward," she said. "My goal is to defend my Asian Games title next year."

Lin recently discussed with a sports psychologist the question that puzzles many athletes: whether to focus on winning or avoiding losing.

"These are two completely different mindsets," Lin explained. "If you're running to win, you charge forward fearlessly. If you're afraid to lose, every movement becomes constrained."

As Chinese hurdling continues to develop, Lin sees both domestic progress and the gap that remains to global standards.

"Our overall level has clearly improved since the last National Games," she acknowledged. "But we're still chasing the world's best. We need to keep pushing until Chinese women hurdlers can consistently reach Olympic semifinals and finals on our own merit." Enditem