Su blazes to second straight win
China’s superstar sprinter clocks best time of season at Birmingham meet
China’s Su Bingtian won the men’s 60m sprint with a seasonbest time of 6.47 seconds at the IAAF World Indoor Tour meet in Birmingham on Saturday.
Su, the fastest Asian-born athlete in history, edged local hero Reece Prescod, although Prescod ran his personal best of 6.53 seconds. Michael Rodgers of the United States was third in 6.54.
It was Su’s second victory following his season-opening win four days earlier in Athlone, Ireland, where his winning time was 6.52.
“I don’t think the titles are important for me,” Su told Xinhua.
“The most important thing is the time. I just want to know the effect of my winter training.
“I did not set a target in Ireland because it was my first race this season. But before this race, I told myself to try for 6.48, so I am very happy to run 6.47.”
The exciting atmosphere at the sold-out Birmingham Arena helped Su perform his best. He won the silver medal here with a new Asian record of 6.42 seconds at the World Indoor Championships last year, the first sprint medal won by a Chinese male.
“It is an excellent arena,” said Su. “I like the fans here. They love athletics and the atmosphere is absolutely thrilling.”
Su is looking to complete a hattrick of indoor wins when he competes at the World Indoor Tour finals in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Wednesday.
“I hope to run faster there, but it will be tough. After two races in four days, I feel a little tired but I need to face the challenge,” he said.
After a successful indoor season last year, where he improved his 60m Asian record three times en route to grabbing a landmark silver medal, Su went on to clock 9.91 seconds twice in 10 days in the 100m, tying the continental record set by Nigeria-born Qatari Femi Ogunode in 2016.
Su has set his sights higher in a year when the World Championships will be held in Doha in Septemeber.
A medal in the 100m will put his name in the world athletics history book.
“My aim is to dip under 9.90 seconds,” he said. “My aim is to win medals for China and make history. But you cannot just talk about that. You need to work harder.”
Since all-time great Usain Bolt is now retired, Su might have a better chance in Doha.