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Jonathan White

Rio 2016 Olympic gold medal winning race walker Liu Hong has decided to hang up her shoes after finishing fourth at the China National Games in Xian.
The 34-year-old from Guangdong won Olympic bronze in Tokyo this summer but finished off the podium in the women’s 20km event before announcing that it was her last race for the time being.
“I don’t have the goal and motivation to practice for the time being, but with the passage of time, my thinking may change. It’s hard to tell.”
It was a hard fought race in the rain as the three frontrunners stayed together for almost all of the 20km course.

Inner Mongolia’s Yang Jiayu successfully defended the title that she won in 2017 in Tianjin, finishing in one hour, 27 minutes and 14 seconds.
Just as in the previous National Games four years ago, Qinghai’s ethnic Tibetan walker Qieyang Shijie finished second to Yang. She crossed the line 17 seconds slower to retain silver.
Surprise silver for Su Bingtian and ‘his student’ in relay
Shaanxi’s Yang Liujing was third in 1:27:47 ahead of Liu who came home in 1:29:59, more than two minutes slower.
The first four finishers were China’s team at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, where Liu won ahead of Qieyang and Yang Liujing.
Liu retired for the first time after the Rio Games, but returned to race walking in 2018 after getting married and starting a family.

She won her third world championship in 2019 following her comeback. That same year she became the first woman to finish the 50km race walk in under four hours.
Liu is also the former world record holder in the 20km, with China teammate Yang Jiayu officially beating Liu’s time of 1:24:38 set in 2015 with a walk of 1:23:49 in Huangshan, China last March.


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2021 National Games of China

Rio 2016 race walk champion Liu Hong retires after fourth place in National Games

China's Liu Hong celebrates after taking the gold in the women's 20km race walk at the 2015 World Athletics Championships at the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing. Liu has retired for the second time after finishing fourth at the 2021 China National Games. Photo: AP

(190930) -- DOHA, Sept. 30, 2019 (Xinhua) -- China's Liu Hong (C) celebrates with Qieyang Shenjie (L) and Yang Liujing after the Women's 20km Race Walk Final at the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar, Sept. 29, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)

Liu Hong (right) breaks the women's 50-km race walk world record

Hong Kong’s Kenneth Cheng makes it into National Games show jumping final despite no support team and rented horse

Kenneth Cheng on Funchal finishes fourth overall in the qualifiers to reach the 2021 China National Games final in Xian. Photo: LCSD/Sports Road

Kenneth Cheng is the only showjumper for Hong Kong in the National Games in Xian. Photo: LCSD (taken by Sports Road)

Kenneth Cheng is making his fourth appearance at the National Games since 2009. Photo: LCSD (taken by Sports Road)

Top Hong Kong showjumper Patrick Lam. Photo by Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Asia’s fastest man Su Bingtian is China National Games champion finally

Su Bingtian of China reacts after the men's 100m final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Xinhua

(210915) -- XI'AN, Sept. 15, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Su Bingtian of China reacts after the men's 100m semifinal at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

National Games: ‘prehistoric’ Fu Yuanhui advances to the semi-finals of 100m backstroke

China’s Fu Yuanhui is in the semi-final of the 100m backstroke at the National Games of China. Photo: AFP

Sport

China

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The 34-year-old retired to start a family after Olympic gold but returned to become 2019 world champion and win Tokyo bronze
China teammates Yang Jiayu, Qieyang Shijie and Yang Liujing keep 50km world record holder off the 20km podium in Xian



The 34-year-old retired to start a family after Olympic gold but returned to become 2019 world champion and win Tokyo 2020 bronze this summer.


Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Rio 2016 race walk champion Liu Hong retires after fourth place in National Games

The 34-year-old retired to start a family after Olympic gold but returned to become 2019 world champion and win Tokyo bronze China teammates Yang Jiayu, Qieyang Shijie and Yang Liujing keep 50km world record holder off the 20km podium in Xian

The 34-year-old retired to start a family after Olympic gold but returned to become 2019 world champion and win Tokyo bronze

China teammates Yang Jiayu, Qieyang Shijie and Yang Liujing keep 50km world record holder off the 20km podium in Xian