Glorious gifts for the motherland (3)

Gong Lijiao can't contain her joy after retaining the shot put title at the 2019 athletics world championships in Doha on Oct 3, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

"I worked out too much in the warm-up before the final and was dripping with sweat. So when the competition started, I felt like I was losing all my momentum, and the air conditioning in the stadium worked against me too.

"This is a lesson for me and I will pay more attention to these details in Tokyo. My dream is obviously to win the title then," added Gong, who has never won Olympic gold.

In the women's javelin, Liu Shiying and Lyu Huihui brought home silver and bronze respectively.

Having been an overwhelming favorite for gold thanks to her four-month winning streak before the worlds, Lyu could not hide her disappointment at finishing third.

"I have already competed at two world championships, winning a silver and a bronze, and I really wanted a gold this time," she said.

Any personal lows, however, were dwarfed by the immense feel-good factor generated by the team's overall performance.

"I was so proud when I heard the national anthem on Oct 1. Those athletes who saw the national flags raised in the competition are the best," said 2014 Olympic speed skating champion Zhang Hong of the 20km race walk medal ceremony.

Zhang, who hung up her skates last year, was in Doha as a representative of the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission.

During her visit, she was appointed to the IOC's Future Host Commission, which will monitor and encourage interest in the Summer, Winter and Youth Games.

"Since becoming an IOC member, I've learned more about athletes from other countries and regions. I didn't realize how well we Chinese athletes are taken care of until I spoke to others," Zhang said of her new career.

Chinese sprint star Su Bingtian could soon be following in her footsteps after the 30-year-old was nominated as one of 15 candidates for six available seats on the IAAF's Athletes' Commission.

"I met him in Doha the other day and gave him my encouragement. I hope he can be elected," Zhang said.

'Best show'

IAAF president Sebastian Coe hailed the success of the championships in Doha.

Six new championship records were set in the Qatari capital, with 43 of the 208 competing teams winning medals.

"The world's athletes have put on the best show in the history of the IAAF World Athletics Championships, according to the competition performance rankings which are used as an objective measure of the quality of international competition," Coe said on Sunday.