China’s sprinting icon, Su Bingtian, who shattered the 10-second barrier and inspired a continent, may have run his final 100 meters.
Su Bingtian, at 35, returned to competition after a long injury layoff, and saw his clock 10.49 seconds at the Guangdong Grand Prix. Far from his Asian record of 9.83 set at the Tokyo Olympics. The results left him short of qualifying for China’s National Games. This has prompted a candid reflection on his future.
Su rose from humble beginnings to become the first Chinese—and only the second Asian—man to reach an Olympic 100m final. A feat last achieved by Japan’s Takayoshi Yoshioka in 1932. His Tokyo performance made him the fastest non-African-descended sprinter to reach the Olympic final since 1980
After his recent race, Su admitted that his performance is unlikely to improve enough to remain competitive. “If the result is good, there will be another one, but if the situation isn’t ideal, it might be my last one,” he told Chinese media.
“I’d said I would run until I couldn’t run any more, and I did it. Now I really can’t run any more. I have done everything I could to the best of my ability, and I have no regrets in my career”
Su’s impact extended beyond individual glory. He helped China’s 4x100m relay team secure a fourth-place finish in Tokyo. Later, he upgraded to bronze after Britain’s disqualification for doping. Even as he plans to step away from the track, Su hopes to contribute to Guangdong’s relay team at the National Games.
However, Su is determined to remain close to the sport that defined his life. “I will, for sure, stay around the sport to give back what I’ve learned from decades of training and racing at the highest level to Chinese athletics,” he said
Su Bingtian’s now enters a new phase—one where his experience and passion will shape the next generation.