Gong Lijiao of China celebrates after winning the women's shot put final at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Aug. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Tokyo Olympic champion Gong Lijiao craves her third straight world championship title, vowing to beat the 21-meter mark within the next three years.
by sportswriter Wang Zijiang
EUGENE, United States, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Gong Lijiao has won almost every major title in women's shot put, but the burning desire to win never fades in her heart.
"Who hates winning too many medals? I still hope to win gold medals," said the 33-year-old, bidding for a third successive title at her eighth world championships.
After winning the Olympic gold in Tokyo last July, many friends asked Gong to retire at her peak. She took six months off and finally decided to fight on.
"I have been throwing for more than 20 years since I was 11. Shot put has become a part of my life. Every day in training, I feel it is my best friend. I cannot live without it."
She said that she will be hanging in after the Paris Olympic Games and the 2025 World Championships, which means that she will have competed in five Olympic Games, five Chinese National Games and a total of 10 World Championships.
Gong in action during the women's shot put final. (Xinhua/Wang Lili)
"I don't think I am as fit as before the Tokyo Olympics, but after the training and preparation in the last four months, I think I have found back 90 percent of my old self."
Gong will face tough challenges from American shot putter Chase Ealey, who tops the world list this season with a personal toss of 20.51m, and her teammate Song Jiayuan, who produced a personal best throw of 20.38m in Shanghai on June 16.
"I am very happy to see Song Jiayuan rising to the top. For so many years, I have always felt that I was fighting alone there for China," she said.
She said that winning the gold medal is not the single target.
"I have an ultimate dream. I hope in the next three years, I can do a 21-meter. I don't think it is unachievable, I have the potential." ■
