Chinese track and field star Wu Yanni receives backlash despite setting a new national record

Wu Yanni’s setback in the semifinal of the World Championships has triggered intense discussion across Chinese, despite the track and field star breaking a national record in the women’s 60m hurdles. 

The athlete placed third in the semi-final, clocking 8.01 seconds, just 0.01 seconds behind Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, who placed second. Unfortunately, only the top two runners secured a spot in the final, which Wu missed the opportunity to qualify for. 

In a social media post, World Athletics shared: “China’s @wuyanni_jennie breaks the Chinese 60m hurdles record with 8.01! She does not advance to the final, but it’s another amazing performance for the host nation on the final day of action in Nanjing.”

 

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While Wu’s performance earned her a new Chinese national record and marked the fourth-fastest time by an Asian woman in history, she still faced harsh criticism from Chinese netizens, regardless of her impressive accomplishment. 

Divided opinions about Wu 

Throughout her career, Wu’s bold personality, tattoos, and use of makeup during competitions have sparked mixed reactions within the Chinese sports community. In China, it is traditionally prohibited for athletes to showcase their tattoos on television. 

With this, netizens wrote on Weibo, a popular social media site in China, and stated: “Her ability and reputation don’t match up…She’s just a marketing tool and an internet celebrity.” 

Moreover, another netizen compared Wu’s popularity to a former Chinese hurdler who won an Olympic gold medal and two world championships, Liu Xiang. The comment expressed that Wu’s strength is “million miles away from Liu Xiang’s level”.

Despite the hate comments, Wu’s fans defended her on the said social media site. 

A netizen commented: “She’s already China’s top hurdler in this event. Any future improvement will be a huge achievement.” 

Another fan remarked: “She was just 0.01 seconds short of reaching the final – the smallest of margins.” 

The 27-year-old then dedicated her success to her fans, family, and friends who have been by her side and offered their unwavering support, as reported by Xinhua. She is currently China’s top female hurdler. 

Furthermore, at the recent World Athletics Championships in Nanjing, China, the host country won just one silver and one bronze, finishing 18th overall. The US led the medal count with six golds, four silvers, and six bronzes.