World Athletics Indoor Championships, in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province Photo: VCG

A total of 35 Chinese athletes will compete in the World Athletics Indoor Championships, which is scheduled to be held in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province from Friday to Sunday.

With over 700 athletes from over 150 countries and regions expected to compete, the championships will not only showcase global talent but also serve as a pivotal platform for China's next generation of athletes to test their mettle this season.

The 35-member Chinese team, which includes Olympic champion Gong Lijiao (women's shot put) and sprinting star Xie Zhenye, will compete across 22 events. 

Gong, 35, remains a cornerstone of China's medal hopes. The four-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold medalist aims to add an indoor title to her legacy. 

"Gong's consistency and mental toughness make her a perennial contender," sports commentator Mao Jiale told the Global Times. "Her presence elevates the team's confidence."

Xie, Asia's 200m record holder (19.88s), will double in the 60m and 4x400m relay. Despite focusing on outdoor events in recent years, Xie's decision to compete indoors signals his ambition to refine his starts. 

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Zhu Yaming (men's triple jump) and national 800m record holder Liu Dezhou also bring medal potential.  

The championships are equally significant for China's teenage prospects. 

Sixteen-year-old female sprinter Chen Yujie, dubbed China's next sprint phenom, entered the women's 60m event after clocking 7.22s in the 2024 domestic season, a time that ranks third among ­under-20 athletes globally. 

Meanwhile, 20-year-old pole vaulter Li Chenyang, who shattered the national indoor record (5.82m) in February, could challenge for a podium finish.

Perhaps the most intriguing storyline lies with 21-year-old hurdler Liu Junxi, who reached the semifinals at the 2024 Glasgow World Indoors. 

Looking up to China's Olympic hurdles champion Liu Xiang, Liu Junxi has trained extensively to lower his personal best (7.49s) below 7.45s, a barrier only four Chinese athletes have breached. 

With Beijing set to host the 2027 World Championships, its first since 2015, the event is viewed as a launchpad for young athletes akin to the 2015 Beijing worlds, which propelled Xie, Su Bingtian, and Liu Hong to global prominence.  

"Hosting major events in athletics 

at home is for sure to boost domestic talent development," Mao told the Global Times. 

"The 2015 cohorts gained invaluable experience competing at home, and we expect Nanjing to do the same for our post-2000 generation."  

The event also aligns with China's broader sports policy. 

During the 2024 National People's Congress, Gao Zhidan, director of China's General Administration of Sport, emphasized the need for "substantive breakthroughs in foundational sports like athletics." 

To strengthen the cultivation of domestic youth talents in athletics, the maiden National Youth Athletics Games are expected to be held later this year, Gao said.

While China's progress in athletics garners attention, the Nanjing indoor championships will feature some marquee matchups. 

World indoor record holders Almand Duplantis of Sweden (men's pole vault, 6.27m) and Yaroslava Mahuchikh (women's high jump, 2.10m) are confirmed entries. 

Champions from the last edition of the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow who will be defending their titles in Nanjing include Grant Holloway (men's 60m hurdles) and Hamish Kerr (men's high jump). 

Sports commentators also highlight Nanjing's potential to boost athletics' popularity in China. 

"China has a rich history of field events, but sprints and hurdles are catching up," Zhu Meng, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times. 

"Events like this inspire grassroots participation, which is vital for sustained success."  

Despite the optimism, challenges persist for the Chinese team.

China's traditional athletics strongholds - shot put, race walk, and the long jump - remain reliable, but sprinting lags behind global powers. 

Only two Chinese men have broken 10 seconds for 100m (Su Bingtian and Xie Zhenye), while no woman has cracked Li Xuemei's 10.79 seconds record which was set in 1997.  

However, the emergence of under-20 standouts like Chen Yujie (11.25s for 100m) and 17-year-old 400m prodigy Ailixier Wumai'er, who clocked 45.71s in 2024, suggests a shifting tide. 

"With the 2027 Beijing Worlds on the horizon, China's athletics trajectory appears to be heading upward, and Nanjing could be the spark that ignites its next golden generation," Zhu noted.