Olympic champion Chen Ding leads a group of 2000 school schildren around the streets of Taicang (© Organisers)
Chen Ding, the Olympic 20km race walk champion, was in Jiangu Province on Thursday (23) to begin the 100-day countdown to the 2014 IAAF World Race Walking Cup, which is being held in Taicang on 3-4 May.
World silver medallist Chen is expected to be one of the host nation’s leading stars at the event, which is being held in China for the first time since 1995. The 21-year-old clicked the button to launch the event’s official website, taicang2014.org.
Chinese Athletics Association vice president Shen Chunde and Taicang mayor Du Xiaogang unveiled the countdown clock. Afterwards, Chen led 2000 high school students in Taicang for a 2km walk around part of the course.
Taicang has been praised by the IAAF for its ideal environment and perfect preparations. With the 100-day countdown now underway, preparations for the IAAF World Race Walking Cup have entered its final stage.
Organisers for the IAAF
