On Aug 15th, the athletics events of the competitive sports category at the 17th Guangdong Provincial Games came to a close at Maoming Olympic Sports Center. As the event with the most gold medals and the broadest participation at this year's provincial games, the athletics competition attracted 1,135 athletes from 20 cities across Guangdong.

At this year's provincial games, traditional powerhouses delivered solid performances, with several cities also putting in impressive showings. Guangzhou topped the medal table with 27 gold, 22 silver and 16 bronze medals, followed by Shenzhen with 24 gold, 27 silver and 21 bronze medals. Foshan ranked third with 12 gold, 10 silver and six bronze medals. Athletes from 17 cities won gold medals on the track, while athletes from 19 cities made it onto the podium. The results not only reflect Guangdong's deep pool of young athletics talent but also show the continued growth and development of the sport across the province.

The Guangzhou team broke multiple U18 and U16 provincial records. Liwan District athlete Wu Dejiang won four gold medals in the boys' Group C 60-meter, 100-meter and 200-meter events and the 4×100-meter relay. The Shenzhen team claimed gold in both the girls' Group B and Group C 4×100-meter relays. Liao Yingying from Foshan swept five gold medals in the girls' Group B 200-meter, 400-meter, mixed-distance relay, mixed 4×400-meter relay and 4×400-meter relay. Dong Binming from Zhongshan broke the U20 provincial record with a jump of 7.97 meters in the men's Group A long jump final. For these young athletes from different cities, the competition marked a new starting point on their journey toward their athletic dreams.

As "Asia's fastest man" Su Bingtian recalled his participation in the provincial games 20 years ago, "This is the biggest stage for young people in Guangdong." Missing out on the provincial title became a driving force behind Su's subsequent breakthroughs. Starting with that disappointment at the provincial games, "Su Shen" (nickname of Su Bingtian), progressed from the provincial games to the National Games of China and then from the Asian stage to the Olympic final, where he made history with a time of 9.83 seconds. Today, every young athlete running at Maoming Olympic Sports Center could become the next Su Bingtian.

下一个“苏炳添”，正从省运会扬帆起航

8月15日，广东省第十七届运动会竞技体育组田径比赛在茂名奥体中心体育场落下帷幕，作为本届省运会金牌数最多、参与面最广的基础大项，田径赛事共有来自20个地市的1135名运动员参赛。

本届省运会，传统强队发挥稳健，多个地市均有亮眼表现。广州以27金22银16铜位居金牌榜第一，深圳以24金27银21铜紧随其后，佛山以12金10银6铜位居第三，共有17个地市在田径赛场斩获金牌，19个地市运动员站上领奖台，这不仅折射出广东田径青少年梯队有深厚的人才储备，更彰显出各地市田径运动的普及和发展正在持续发力向好。

广州队打破多项U18、U16省纪录，其中荔湾选手伍得江夺得男子丙组60米、100米、200米和4×100米接力4块金牌；深圳队在女子乙、丙组4×100米接力夺得双金；佛山选手廖盈莹一人包揽女子乙组200米、400米、异程接力、混合4×400米接力、4×400米接力5块金牌；中山选手董彬明在男子甲组跳远决赛中以7米97的成绩打破U20省纪录……来自不同城市的运动健儿踏上圆梦田径场的全新起点。

正如“亚洲飞人”苏炳添在回忆自己20年前征战省运会时所言，“这是广东青少年最大的舞台。”省运会上无缘冠军，成为苏炳添日后不断突破的动力，“苏神”以省运会上的遗憾为起点，从省运会走到全运会，又从亚洲赛场奔向奥运会决赛跑道，成就了9秒83的传奇。如今，茂名奥体中心体育场上奔跑的每一位少年，都可能成为下一个苏炳添。

文丨记者 柴智
图丨广东省田径协会提供
翻译丨郑书悦
审校丨曾敏