China's top sprinter Su withdraws from 2023 season

BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China' top sprinter Su Bingtian on Monday announced his withdrawal from the 2023 season on his social media account.

In a statement, the current Asian men's 100m record holder disclosed that he decided to drop out of this year's World Athletics Championships and Hangzhou Asian Games and put a premature end to the 2023 season due to "physical reasons".

"As a 34-year-old sprinter, the accumulated injuries over the years and the decline of physical conditions after the pandemic have brought difficulties to my preparations this year," he said in the post. "My team has conducted a series of examinations and tests for me and actively sought advice from various sources."

"To prolong my career, I have to give up this year's competitions to take a rest and make adjustments."

"But I will not stop pursuing my dreams. Next, I will continue to actively recover and fully prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics," Su added.

Su won the men's 60m with 6.59 seconds on his season debut at the World Athletics Indoor Tour 2023 Gothenburg Games in February, but he did not compete any event after that.

In an earlier interview Su revealed his final dream is to run in the 2025 National Games which will be held in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

"My biggest dream now is to compete in the Olympic Games in Paris, but my final dream is to run in the 2025 National games in my hometown, "The Guangdong-born sprinter said.

Su was the first Chinese to run 100m in under 10 seconds in 2015, followed by Xie Zhenye in 2018. With a personal best of 9.83 seconds in the 100m event, he is the fifth fastest man all-time in the category at the Olympics.