A photo of Xi Xiaoheng (second from the right) during the competition. [Photo/The 26th Asian Athletics Championships 2025 Gumi]

The 26th Asian Athletics Championships 2025 Gumi kicked off in Gumi, South Korea, on May 27. With the Chinese team capturing five gold medals out of six events on the opening day, it was a great start to the competition. Among the top performers were athletes Xi Xiaoheng and Dai Qianqian from Zhejiang province.

Representing Taizhou, Xi advanced to the men's 1500m final with a time of 3 min 48.25 sec in the preliminary round. In the women's javelin final, Dai finished fifth.

"It's all about the final — I'm going to push for my personal best," Xi said after his race. He admitted the race felt tough and that he struggled to find his rhythm early on. Though he had planned to accelerate in the latter half, he made tactical adjustments due to physical conditions.

Xi has had a remarkable season so far, winning multiple domestic titles and making history by reaching the 800m semifinal at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, Jiangsu province — an unprecedented feat for Chinese middle-distance running.

Looking ahead, anticipation is building as Xi prepares for both the 800m and 1500m finals, where he will team up with athlete Liu Dezhu to deliver more surprises for Team China.