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2021 National Games of China
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National Games: Olympic gold medallist Liu Shiying gifts herself early birthday present with javelin title

  • The 27-year-old Shandong sensation scores 64.33m one month after making history at Tokyo 2020 Games
  • Teammate Lu of Hubei finishes in second, while Hebei’s Guan wins a dramatic bronze medal

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Liu Shiying of China throws in the women's javelin final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in the Tokyo National Olympic Stadium in Japan. Photo: AFP
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History-making Olympian Liu Shiying continued her dream year after winning the National Games women’s javelin final at the Xian Olympic Sports Centre Stadium on Thursday.

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The 27-year-old Shandong native gifted herself an early present ahead of her birthday on Friday when she scored 64.33 metres.

Liu won an unprecedented gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games last month, becoming the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in the women’s javelin and the second Chinese athlete ever to win Olympic gold in any field event.

Though she had shown her skill set on the international stage, Liu had never been on the podium at a previous National Games.

Liu Shiying of China celebrates after winning the women's javelin throw final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Photo: Xinhua
Liu Shiying of China celebrates after winning the women's javelin throw final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Photo: Xinhua
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Her scores in Xi’an were far below those of her Tokyo outing, where she registered a 66.34. The former world junior number one had been improving her distances since breaking the Asian Athletics Championships record in 2015, before winning Asian Games gold three years later.

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