Race walker Liu raring to step back into action
Olympic 20-kilometer race walk champion Liu Hong says she is raring to return to competition as her sport’s coronavirus-enforced shutdown continues.
“I’m really looking forward to racing, and I feel even more appreciative now of the things I have been used to. I miss the feeling of competing with other race walkers all over the world,” Liu told World Athletics.
Under normal circumstances, Liu would be busy preparing to defend her title at the Tokyo Olympics, but the Games’ postponement until 2021 has forced her to adjust her plans.
“Usually, June is the time when training is the most difficult and stressful, and it is the key preparation stage for major competitions in August and September,” said the 33-year-old.
“But all the training this year is back to basics, leaving my body in good shape. I’ve also had more time to try things in training that may help me perform better in future.”
The Tokyo postponement has also disrupted Liu’s family life. Originally planning to buy a house in Shenzhen, she instead relocated to Kunming, Yunnan province, in order to take advantage of the city’s 2,000m altitude for training purposes.