On the evening of March 21 (Beijing time), the men’s 60m final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 took off with a fierce showdown. Jeremiah Azu of Great Britain clocked 6.49 seconds, setting a new personal best (PB) to claim the gold medal. Lachlan Kennedy of Australia took silver in 6.50s, while Akani Simbine of South Africa secured bronze with 6.54s. China’s XIE Zhenye finished fourth with a time of 6.58s.
“I’m very satisfied with my performance. I set a new PB. This was my best race yet,” said Azu in his post-race interview. “Executing the right moves at the key moments was crucial, so I’m really happy with my result. Delivering a strong performance when it matters most is always a great feeling.” Speaking about Nanjing, Azu praised its beautiful scenery: “From my room, I can see the river and all kinds of buildings, and the city lights up beautifully at night.” Although he hadn’t yet explored the city, he planned to take a tour the next day. As the interview concluded, Azu expressed his love for Nanjing in Chinese, saying, ‘I love Nanjing’.
In both the semifinal (6.60s) and final (6.58s), XIE Zhenye continuously improved his season’s best. However, he felt he didn’t fully unleash his potential. “I didn’t perform at my best; otherwise, I would have had a chance to reach the podium,” XIE reflected with slight regret. “Just like the last edition, I finished fourth again, which is a bit disappointing, but I’ll face it positively and look forward to the outdoor season.” Looking ahead, XIE is excited about upcoming races: “This year, there are two Diamond League meets in China, including one in my hometown. I hope to shine in those races and live up to the expectations of my supporters and fans.” Speaking about the electrifying atmosphere in Nanjing, he added, “The crowd was amazing. Their enthusiasm really fueled me today. That energy pushed me to improve with each round. I owe a lot to the fans for their support.”
When asked about China’s rising sprint talent, LIU Junxi, XIE was full of praise: “Young athletes like him are truly impressive. At their age, I wasn’t even competing at this level. Just making it to this stage is already a great achievement, and I believe their future will be even brighter. Myself, SU Bingtian, and other veterans have lit a spark on the world stage, showing that China has strong sprinters. I hope the next generation will build on this and bring even more brilliance to Chinese track and field.”
Meanwhile, China’s DENG Xinrui fell short of the final but remained positive: “I have no regrets. My performance was better than expected, and competing at a high level while getting close to my PB was already a great learning experience.” DENG particularly appreciated the Nanjing crowd, saying, “Their passion for athletics is incredible. It really motivated me to give my best.”
With the men’s 60m final concluding, the day’s competition wrapped up. Tomorrow’s events promise even more excitement, featuring: men’s 60m hurdles, where young Chinese stars LIU Junxi and QIN Weibo will go head-to-head with world-class athletes like Grant Holloway; women’s 60m, a star-studded showdown featuring China’s LIANG Xiaojing and CHEN Yujie, alongside Mujinga Kambundji and Natasha Morrison. The “Nanjing’s Cube” will once again witness track and field history in the making!
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