Chinese athletes clinch four titles at Bird’s Nest

Justin Gatlin of the US won the men's 100 meters at the IAAF World Challenge Beijing on Wednesday at the Bird's Nest in Beijing, while China's Xie Wenjun claimed the men's 110 meters hurdles with 13.31 seconds.

"I'm eager to come back next year in the World Championships in Beijing," Gatlin said after lowering his own course record by 0.04 seconds to a 9.87-second race.

"I'm trying to be better and better. I made some mistakes in Shanghai. I want to correct them so I came to Beijing and did a great job as a leader and a course record." Speaking of his Chinese rivals, fourth-placed Zhang Peimeng and fifth Su Bingtian, the Olympic champion said they "fire me to be better and better, because I knew they were coming, and coming on strong."

"They are going to be great in the next few years," he said.

Zhang, winner of the 100 meters at the Chinese National Games last year, said he was satisfied with his 10.18-second finish.

The 27-year-old also ruled out retirement.

"If I decide to retire, there will be thousands of excuses for me," Zhang told a news conference after the event. "Well I've passed 27 and not retired because I still have a dream, which is to break the 10-second mark."

Zhang finished in exactly 10 seconds in the semifinals of last year's World Championships in Moscow, the best performance by a Chinese athlete.

Xie won his back-to-back event by defeating big names such as Dayron Robles.

"I'm very proud of my result, but there's still much room to improve," Xie said.

David Oliver of the US withdrew from the 110 meters -hurdles with illness.

China's Zhang Guowei -finished the men's high jump event at 2.29 meters, one place behind winner Ivan Ukhov, who was the 2012 London Olympic gold medalist and set a new course record of 2.36 -meters.

Xue Changrui of China won the men's pole vault with a national--best and record-setting 5.80 meters.

Earlier on Friday, Andre Oliver of South Africa won the men's 800 meters with a new course record of 1:44.56, breaking the previous record of 1:46.43 set by Alfred Kirwa Yego of Kenya last year.

Brianna Rollins of the US was also a new course record setter as her 12.58 seconds in the women's 100 meters hurdles surpassed Nigerian Blessing Okagbare's 11.04 seconds.

Wang Zheng of China won the women's hammer throw with 75.23 meters.