China’s new sprint star, 17, vows ‘no limits’ after Asian Games gold

NAGOYA: China's 17-year-old sprinter Chen Yujie declared she has "no limits" after clinching the women's 100m gold at the Asian Games. The teenager, whose birthday falls in December, dominated her rivals at the Nagoya final, finishing in a Games-record 11.06 seconds. Chen beat Singapore's two-time Olympian Shanti Pereira by just 0.15 seconds to claim the top spot and deliver an emphatic victory that she called "the best present for my birthday."

The teenager, who turns 18 soon, is not content with her Asian Games triumph and dreams of achieving more on the international stage. She aims to defend her title at future tournaments, including the world championships and the Olympics. Chen admitted she was nervous before the final, recounting her shaking legs on the training track, but she emphasized her determination to challenge other competitors instead of waiting to be challenged.

Chinese media hailed Chen as a new sprint star, with the official Olympics website proclaiming her a "new sprint star." Chen expressed her desire to leave a lasting mark for Chinese women's sprinters and the Asian sprinters. Despite her nervousness, Chen outpaced two-time Olympian Shanti Pereira of Singapore to win the 200m race at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships as well.