Wu Yanni's performance in the semifinals of the world championships has ignited intense discussions in China, despite her setting a national record in the women's 60m hurdles.
On Monday, Wu secured third place in the semifinal with a time of 8.01 seconds, finishing just 0.01 seconds behind Jamaica's Ackera Nugent, who took second place. Only the top two competitors progressed to the final.
Although Wu's time established a new Chinese national record and ranks as the fourth-fastest ever recorded by an Asian woman, she faced significant backlash from Chinese internet users.
"Her skills and reputation are not aligned," one commenter stated on Weibo. She is simply a marketing persona and a social media phenomenon.
Another individual drew a parallel between Wu's fame and that of Liu Xiang, a former Chinese hurdler who clinched an Olympic gold medal and two world titles, emphasizing that her abilities are "a million miles away from Liu Xiang's level."
Throughout her career, Wu's bold personality, tattoos, and makeup choices during competitions have sparked mixed reactions within the Chinese sports community. Traditionally, athletes in China are prohibited from showcasing tattoos on television.
Nevertheless, many fans rallied to support Wu.
"She’s already the leading hurdler in China for this event. Any further progress will be a significant accomplishment," one user remarked on Weibo.
"She missed the final by just 0.01 seconds - an incredibly narrow margin," another user noted.
Wu was visibly moved and shed tears upon setting the national record. The 27-year-old dedicated this milestone to her supporters, family, and friends, as reported by Xinhua.
"In the final, Devynne Charlton from the Bahamas secured first place with a time of 7.72 seconds, followed closely by Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland and Nugent, who clocked in at 7.73 and 7.74 seconds, respectively."
At the recently held World Athletics Championships in Nanjing, China, the host nation managed to win only one silver and one bronze medal, finishing in 18th place overall. The United States led the medal tally with six golds, four silvers, and six bronzes.
"Wu, who launched her career in 2016, is currently recognized as China’s top female hurdler. On the international front, she secured a silver medal at the 2021 World University Games."
