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Asia’s fastest sprinter Su Bingtian reveals how Hong Kong Paralympian William So and writer Louis Cha ‘Jin Yong’ inspired him to success

  • ‘God Su’, the first Asian-born athlete to run the 100 metres in under 10 seconds, says William So is the ‘true god’ of the track
  • Sprinter says he ‘deeply believes in the phrase, ‘In the world of kung fu, speed defines the winner’ after reading the works of Louis Cha ‘Jin Yong’

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Su Bingtian broke the Asian 100m record in Tokyo this year. Photo: Xinhua

Asia’s fastest-ever sprinter Su Bingtian has revealed he was inspired to chase his dreams by two legendary Hongkongers, Paralympian William So Wa-wai and novelist Louis Cha “Jin Yong”.

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Hailed as “God Su” by fans, the first Asian-born athlete to break the 10-second barrier in the 100m told a Polytechnic University audience on Sunday that he considered Hong Kong sprinter So to be the “true god” of the track.

He also said literary giant Louis Cha Leung-yung – the world’s most popular Chinese writer, who penned martial arts novels under the name Jin Yong – gave him the belief to become a top sprinter.

“I read The Smiling, Proud Wanderer and Demigods and Semi-Devils, so I deeply believe in the phrase, ‘In the world of kung fu, speed defines the winner’,” he said.

Chinese Olympians (from left to right) Ma Long, Cui Xiaotong, Lyu Xiaojun, coach Wang Aimin, Sun Yiwen and Su Bingtian at PolyU in Hung Hom. Photo: May Tse
Chinese Olympians (from left to right) Ma Long, Cui Xiaotong, Lyu Xiaojun, coach Wang Aimin, Sun Yiwen and Su Bingtian at PolyU in Hung Hom. Photo: May Tse

Su this year became the first Chinese runner to reach an Olympics 100m final, setting an Asian record of 9.83 seconds in the semi-finals of the Tokyo Games.

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“After the competition, Chinese netizens wanted to express their support and love and gave me the name ‘God Su’, but in my heart the true ‘god’ is Hongkonger [William] So Wa-wai,” he told a meet-and-greet session at PolyU.

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