appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Stephy Zhang

Age may be just a number, but for two of China’s most senior track and field athletes, the numbers they have produced on the global stage have been nothing short of astonishing.
At the World Masters Athletics Championships, 92-year-old Lyu Mingpu captured four medals across six events, including two golds, and immediately set a new goal to keep running until he is 100.
Similarly, 82-year-old Ding Ming shaved a massive 0.52 seconds off the Asian M80 80-metre hurdles record to win a world title.
But beyond their historic podium finishes, the two veterans embody a unique approach to sport, balancing a fierce competitive fire with the pragmatic self-awareness to know their physical limits, proving that athletic ambition can last a lifetime if pursued with caution and purpose.
After 13 days of competition, the championships wrapped up in Daegu, South Korea, on Thursday. The 105-member mainland Chinese delegation concluded the meet with an impressive haul of 10 gold, 23 silver and 19 bronze medals.
The team’s oldest competitor in the delegation, Jinan native Lyu won gold in the men’s M90 long jump and the M85 4x100m relay. He also secured silver in the M90 triple jump, bronze in the M90 200m, and placed fourth in the 100m and sixth in the 400m.

September 3, the World Masters Athletic Championship came to an end in Daegu, South Korea. Lu Mingpu, a 92-year-old from Jinan, Shandong Province, China, won the world championship in the M90 group (90 years and older) long jump event. He signed up for a total of six athletics… pic.twitter.com/qLfCHdrwUT
— Walter (@WalterL87309879) September 5, 2026

Lyu had initially entered five individual events, but the relay was an impromptu decision upon arriving in Daegu.
“The 85-year-old age group lacked one runner to form a team, so he filled in, and they ended up winning gold,” his son, Lyu Yi, told local media.
Despite expressing disappointment with his final placement in the 200m, Lyu was thrilled with his time after edging his opponent by a mere 0.05 seconds.
“I am very happy with the result because it broke the national record,” Lyu said. “If I had not chased hard, I would not have broken it.”
Rain hampered his long jump performance, restricting him to a 2.05 metre clearance compared with the 2.22 metres he achieves during training. However, the result was still enough to secure the top spot in his age category.
His transition to competitive track began at age 71 when he won a bronze medal at a national meet.
“Sometimes my body aches, and I think about skipping training, but I grit my teeth and go. After warming up, the pain disappears,” Lyu said.
Lyu spent a year preparing for the championships, visiting the Shandong University track at least four times a week for two to three hours per session to practise jogging, stretching, starts and landings. When asked about his health secret, he simply credited consistent exercise.
In China’s M90 category, Lyu essentially competes against the clock. “In this age group domestically, I am the only one left on the track,” he admitted.
He already holds multiple national records and broke three more at the China Masters in May. He now aims to intensify his training to claim the 400m record.
Inspired by other athletes over 100, Lyu refuses to stop. “I cannot give up halfway; I will try to run until I am 100,” he said. “I did not have good conditions when I was young. Now that I do, I just want to keep running.”
Earlier in the tournament, on the fourth day of competition, 82-year-old Ding from Anshan, Liaoning province, claimed the men’s M80 80m hurdles title. His 15.99-second finish comfortably surpassed the previous Asian record of 16.51 seconds.
For Ding, athletics is a lifelong habit that has evolved into a dedicated post-retirement lifestyle. During his record-breaking race, his focus remained strictly on execution.

China’s 82-year-old Ding Ming from Anshan, #Liaoning Province, won the M80 80-meter hurdles final at the 2026 World Masters Athletics Championships, finishing in 15.99 seconds to take gold, and shattering the Asian record for his age group. pic.twitter.com/LrPp0abHFt
— iLiaoning (@iLiaoning) August 28, 2026

“From the starting line to the finish, I only thought about one thing: maintaining my form and pushing through to the end,” Ding told local media.
After crossing the finish line, he shook hands with every competitor. Ding views the world championships primarily as a gathering for retired athletes and elite amateurs, where communication outweighs winning.
“We might not speak the same language, but we shake hands and hug,” he said. “If you win, I won’t be jealous; if I lose, you won’t look down on me. That is sports.”
A lifelong sports enthusiast rather than a former professional, Ding began systematic training after retiring.
He made his world debut in Lyon in 2015, claimed four golds at the 2019 Asian Masters, and took bronze at the 2024 World Championships in Gothenburg. His Daegu victory came just three months after he set a national age-group record of 16.73 seconds at the China Masters.
“Sport is meant to maintain health and reduce the burden on our families, not to create new worries,” he explained.

Ding has set no upper age limit for his competitive career, planning to continue as long as he can safely train and navigate outdoors without symptoms like dizziness.
“As long as my physical and mental state allows me to go out and return safely, I will keep moving,” he said, adding that he hopes to continue organising and inspiring more seniors to take up the sport.
Sanctioned by World Athletics, the biennial World Masters Athletics Championships is widely considered the “Senior Olympics”. Open to global enthusiasts aged 35 and above competing in five-year age brackets, the Daegu edition drew more than 7,000 athletes from 106 countries.


Meet Lane Kiffin’s ex-wife Layla, who is supporting him amid LSU expulsion threat

Meet Jelena Ostapenko, the fiery Latvian tennis star making headlines over US Open drama

Mastering the game: 2 Chinese senior statesmen steal show at World Masters Athletics meet

Who are Alex Eala’s parents? Meet the supportive family behind the Filipino tennis star

Athletes

Lyu Mingpu (second from right) and his teammates after winning gold in the men’s M85 4x100m relay. Photo: CCTV

Ding Ming set a national age-group record at the China Masters in May. Photo: WeChat/Chang Zai Sai Chang

Play-off win by Hong Kong Bulls no guarantee of Chinese Basketball Association league spot

Hong Kong Bulls celebrate winning their final match against Changsha in the 2025 National Basketball League. Photo: Xinhua

Leo Sun Xinwei, general manager of the Hong Kong Bulls. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong Bulls’ new signing, Hong Kong international Glen Yang, training with the team. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong Marathon expects to welcome record number of runners after increasing quota

The increase in the half-marathon quota is to meet strong demand among runners. Photo: Karma Lo

Runners and officials attend a press conference about the updates to the Hong Kong Marathon. Photo: Edmond So

Sport

China

Other Sport

Lyu Mingpu, 92, and Ding Ming, 10 years younger, prove athletic ambition can last a lifetime as they win three gold medals in South Korea


Lyu Mingpu, 92, and Ding Ming, 10 years younger, prove athletic ambition can last a lifetime as they win three gold medals in South Korea.


Mastering the game: 2 Chinese senior statesmen steal show at World Masters Athletics meet

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Lyu Mingpu, 92, and Ding Ming, 10 years younger, prove athletic ambition can last a lifetime as they win three gold medals in South Korea

Lyu Mingpu, 92, and Ding Ming, 10 years younger, prove athletic ambition can last a lifetime as they win three gold medals in South Korea