Xie Zhenye (left) of China, Jeremiah Azu (center) of Britain, and Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya compete during the Men's 100m event at the Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang province, May 3. [Photo/IC]

Chinese sprinter Xie Zhenye matched his season-best time of 10.23 seconds on May 3, finishing eighth in the men's 100m final at the Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala, held at the China Textile City Sports Center in Keqiao district, Shaoxing.

Xie admitted his slow start cost him, allowing competitors to pull ahead early. He managed to narrow the gap in the final stretch, crediting his late acceleration and rhythm adjustment. Moving forward, he plans to work on his start and finishing speed.

Competing at home clearly meant a lot to Xie. "It's exciting to have a high-profile event like this in my hometown. It's not just about racing at home but also showing the world our city's culture and energy," he said.

Xie added that he hopes to see more global athletes race in Keqiao in the future, blending top-tier competition with local culture to give the world a deeper understanding of China through sports.