Chinese athlete Wu Yanni competes in the women's 100m hurdles on April 26. Photo: Courtesy of the organizers

 
The 2025 Diamond League season kicked off at the Egret Stadium in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province on Saturday. Chinese athletes viewed this competition as a crucial opportunity for preparation ahead of the World Athletics Championships set to be held in September.

China's hurdling prodigy Liu Junxi, 22, lowered his personal best in the 110m hurdles from 13.35 seconds to 13.24 seconds, winning a bronze medal in the event.

Sprinter Xie Zhenye, the 200m Asian record holder, made his season debut in the 100m with a time of 10.23 seconds, while star hurdler Wu Yanni, who broke the 60m national record with a time of 8.01 seconds at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing in March, clocked a time of 13 seconds in her first 100m hurdles race of the season.

Liu Yu, a Beijing-based sports commentator told the Global Times on Wednesday that the high-profile international competition in Xiamen serves as a strategic stepping stone ahead of major global events like the world championships.

For athletes like Xie and Wu, the Xiamen meet marks the start of their outdoor season, giving them a chance to test their form, adjust techniques, and build competitive rhythm, Liu noted. 

"Wu's recent national record in the indoor 60m hurdles has raised expectations. This will also be her first opportunity to translate that momentum into the 100m hurdles - her main event, he emphasized. 

The 16-member Chinese squad for the season opener included Olympic shot put champion Gong Lijiao, Paris Olympics silver medalist in women's discus Feng Bin, Olympic silver medalist in men's triple jump Zhu Yaming, and Olympic bronze medalist in women's shot put Song Jiayuan.

The Xiamen event was the first step on the road to the Diamond League Final in Zurich, Switzerland on August 27-28 and the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan in September.

Xiamen is a crucial battleground for athletes aiming to boost their annual rankings, as well as a valuable opportunity for Chinese athletes to compete against top international talents, Yang Feng, vice secretary-general of the Chinese Athletics Association, noted ahead of the competition.

First 300m hurdles

As of Tuesday, nearly 200 athletes from 52 countries had confirmed their participation in Xiamen, including 19 Olympic champions and 10 world record holders, according to the organizers.

World record holders such as Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis joined fellow Olympic champions such as US 110m hurdler Grant Holloway and Botswana's 200m gold medalist Letsile Tebogo in a star-studded lineup at the first stop of the 2025 series, which featured 14 disciplines.

Xiamen also witnessed the world's first major international competition for the men's 300m hurdles, the first time the event was included in the Diamond League since its inception in 2010. China's Xie Zhiyu took part in the event.

Xiamen welcomed its third edition of the event since becoming a host city for the Diamond League in 2023. The Xiamen meet is not only a world-class athletics spectacle, but also an important platform for dialogue between Chinese sports and the international sporting community.

Chinese athlete Liu Junxi (right) competes in the men's 110m hurdles at the Egret Stadium in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province on April 26. Photo: VCG

Public engagement

Competing in front of a home crowd brings emotional and psychological boosts and inspires broader public interest and youth participation in athletics. The media spotlight also raises athletes' profiles, especially for stars like Wu Yanni, who has drawn a lot of attention due to her outspoken personality, Liu noted.

To encourage greater participation of domestic amateur track and field enthusiasts and give them a chance to shine on a world-class stage, Xiamen once again hosted the "Road to Diamond" series this year ahead of the Diamond League. 

Nearly 1,400 enthusiasts from across China took part in events in different age categories, ranging from U18 to A60 (aged 60 and above), with participants aged between 14 and 72. The well-designed and inclusive category system allowed more fans of athletics to pursue their passion on the track. Outstanding performers in some events were also invited to Saturday evening's warm-up meet, where they shared the stage with some of the world's top athletes.

Karsten Warholm, the men's 400m hurdles world record holder, presented awards to the winners of the open series at the Egret Stadium.

The second stop of the 2025 Diamond League will take place in Shanghai on May 3, followed by the World Athletics Relays scheduled for May 10-11 in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province.

The organizers of the Guangzhou relays plan to host a youth relay race and an Athletics Day for kids ahead of the main event. Through competitions and games, these activities aim to plant the seeds of athletics in young hearts, allowing them to experience the charm of the sport. It is also part of the efforts to promote the integration of mass fitness and competitive sports, offering the public a rich and diverse spectator experience.