Chinese hurdler Wu Yanni is a star on and off the track and likely to bring a lot of personality to the Paris Olympic Games. - Photo: Xinhua
PARIS (SCMP): At the 2024 China National Track and Field Championships, local hero Wu Yanni clinched the gold medal in the women’s 100-metre hurdles.
Not only did the 27-year-old improve her personal record by 0.02 seconds, she also set an Asian best for the season in this event.
On Chinese social media, Wu is one of the most popular and talked-about athletes, not only for her remarkable performances on the track but also her tattoos, race-day make-up and outspoken personality, which often clashes with conventional expectations.
And, as Wu gets ready to step out at the Stade de France to take on the world’s best, here’s all you need to know about the fiery runner.
China’s Wu Yanni was described as ‘made for hurdling’ by her former coach Yang Hui. - Photo: Xinhua
Early life
Born in 1997 in Zigong, a city in southwestern Sichuan province, Wu was an exceptionally restless child. To channel her boundless energy, her mother enrolled her in dance classes.
Wu’s journey into track and field began in the fifth grade when she was spotted during a sports competition held in Neijiang, Sichuan. From there, she went to get further training in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan.
In 2012, after being picked up by Yang Hui, a coach from the Beijing Sport University hurdles team, Wu began her career in 100-metre hurdles. Seven years later, her notable performances earned her a spot on China’s national athletics squad.
Yang once described Wu as “made for hurdling” during an interview with local Chinese media, adding: “She possesses many of the qualities that define a great athlete.”
China’s Wu Yanni celebrates after the women’s 100m Hurdles Final of Athletics at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. - Photo: Xinhua
A rising star
Wu soon began amassing a slew of hurdling medals in various national competitions.
She claimed gold in the 100m at China’s Youth Games in 2015 and secured third place at the 13th National Games two years later with a time of 13.36 seconds.
Her ascent continued as she rose to the elite ranks of Chinese female hurdlers, winning gold at the National Athletics Championships in 2018, 2020, and 2021.
At the 14th National Games in 2021, however, Wu missed out on the title, earning a silver medal as compatriot Lin Yuwei took the gold.
Wu rose to the pinnacle of her career after earning a silver medal in the women’s 100m hurdles in the FISU World University Games, held in Chengdu in August 2023.
She set her personal best of 12.76 seconds during the race, which also secured her a place in Paris.
China’s Yanni Wu looks on as she stands with officials following a false start during the women’s 100m hurdles final. - Photo: Reuters
Setbacks
During last year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, the capital city of the eastern Zhejiang province, Wu came under the spotlight after being disqualified for a false start.
It was not the first time she had found herself in difficulty at the starting line – months earlier, at the 2023 Athletic Championships in Bangkok, she was also disqualified in the final of the 100m hurdles for the same reason.
Reflecting on these moments in an interview with Chinese news outlet The Paper, Wu described the 2021 National Games and the Asian Games as “the worst moments of my athletic career, and probably nothing worse after that”.
But Wu said those setbacks introduced a more “playful” attitude toward racing, allowing her to focus on the process rather than the results.
These false-start incidents, along with her tattoos and cosmetics during the race, thrust her into the centre of online controversies and even criticism.
Addressing the doubts about her make-up during races, Wu told local media: “I’ll perform better when all the focus is on me ... I think it’s normal for girls to wear make-up, and we can’t take away a person’s right to look beautiful.”
She emphasised: “We should allow others to be others and allow ourselves to be ourselves. This is the most important.”
China’s Wu Yanni has become notable for her tattoos and on-track make-up as well as her track success. - Photo: Xinhua
Running to the Olympics
Away from the track, Wu has found popularity on social media with more than 3.7 million followers on her official Douyin account.
But Wu also distanced herself from labels like “internet celebrity”.
“I’ve been in this sport for 11 years, working hard every day,” she said. “Am I doing this to be an internet celebrity? No. Do doctors, lawyers and forensic scientists work years in their fields to become celebrities? Of course not.”
After earning a place at the Paris Olympics, Wu’s preparation for the Olympics was far from smooth
After the Asian Games debacle, she fell short of expectations at the Diamond League meet held in Xiamen on China’s southeast coast in April, where she finished in a disappointing 10th place with a time of 13.04 seconds.
But Wu has shown she can bounce back from a setback during her impressive pre-Olympic form.
Before winning gold and setting a personal best at the recent National Track and Field Championships, she has also secured back-to-back victories in the 100-metre hurdles at the World Continental Tour held in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan in May. - South China Morning Post
