Speaking at a press conference in Beijing last week, the 26-year-old athlete admitted she has always been intimidated by long-distance events. However, she expressed her determination to challenge herself once she steps away from the track, Cqnews reported.
“I plan to start with 5km, then 10km and eventually a half marathon,” she said. “It’s a personal challenge I’d like to take on after retirement. Hopefully, I’ll still be able to keep up with the pace.”
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Chinese track and field star Wu Yanni. Photo by Instagram/@wuyanni_jennie |
For now, Yanni remains focused on her specialty, the 100m hurdles, with her sights set on finishing in the top eight at the Olympics.
According to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rankings updated in early June, Yanni is 30th in the world and second in Asia, behind Japan’s Tanaka Yumi, who stands 22nd globally. Since the beginning of 2025, the IAAF has released 22 rankings updates, with Yanni leading Asia eight times and peaking second the rest.
At the recent 2025 Asian Athletics Championships held in Gumi, South Korea, Yanni won bronze in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.07 seconds. India’s Jyothi Yaraj defended her gold medal with 12.96 seconds and Yumi finished second.
On June 22, Yanni visited Henan Children’s Hospital, where she donated $28,000 to support children with disabilities.
“As a hurdler, I understand that running is not just about speed but about perseverance and overcoming obstacles,” she said, as reported by Dongqiudi. “For children who cannot walk due to congenital conditions or accidents, running is a precious and special dream. I hope my efforts can inspire and support them to one day run freely under the sun.”
Born in 1997 in Zigong, Sichuan, Yanni rose to fame for both her athletic accomplishments and charismatic personality, gaining attention on social media for her tattoos, which she says symbolize confidence.
She won the national championship in 2023 and reached the Asian Championship final in Bangkok the same year but was disqualified for a false start. In 2024, she qualified for her first Olympics in Paris, though she rated her own performance poorly with a zero, saying she “couldn’t compete” with other opponents in the 100m hurdles event.
