Liu Hao (left)/Ji Bowen of China react after the men's canoe double 500m final of canoe sprint at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Vaires-sur-Marne, France, on August 8, 2024. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese athletes Liu Hao and Ji Bowen captured the gold medal in the men's canoe double 500m at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.

China last won this event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when Meng Guangliang and Yang Wenjun successfully defended their title. Sixteen years later, Liu and Ji have once again brought glory to China, breaking the Olympic record.

The pair advanced to the semifinals with a time of 1:37.40 in the heats, setting a new Olympic record for the event. They then secured their spot in the final as the top team from the semifinals.

In the final, Liu and Ji dominated the race, leading from start to finish to clinch the gold medal with a commanding performance.

Liu, who won silver in both the men's 1000m double sculls and single sculls at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, came to Paris with the goal of completing his medal collection with a gold. After the 2021 National Games in Shaanxi Province, Liu partnered with the younger Ji, as the Paris Olympics saw a shift from the 1000m to the 500m distance in the men's double sculls.

Despite the changes, the 30-year-old Liu quickly adapted, forming a strong partnership with Ji. Liu described Ji as fast and noted that he soon became a role model.

"I feel responsible for keeping the team's morale high. I can't let the energy drop, especially during long training sessions," Liu said.

Ji also spoke about their partnership: "We first met in 2019 at a competition. I thought I was fast, but compared to Liu, I was far behind. I see him as a role model and strive to meet his standard."

Their hard work paid off when they secured their Olympic spot with a second-place finish at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. Their gold medal in Paris now stands as a testament to their dedication and teamwork.

Global Times