Beijing Set to Host Final Continental Tour Gold Ahead of World Championships
The 2025 World Athletics Continental Tour Gold reaches its grand finale this Sunday, September 7, in Beijing, where some of the world’s best athletes will fine-tune their form just one week before the World Championships in Tokyo. The meet promises high-caliber clashes, last-minute momentum shifts, and a glimpse of athletes aiming to make a statement before the season’s biggest stage. Here is an event-by-event preview of the meeting.
Women’s shot put:
Two-time world indoor champion Sarah Mitton from Canada will try to bounce back after missing out on win the Diamond League in Zurich last week. Mitton was initially declared the winner in the competition held at the Sechsenlautenplatz, but her winning throw was later ruled to be a foul. Mitton, winner at the Diamond League final in Brussels in 2024, will take on Maddison Lee Wesche from New Zealand, 2018 world under 20 champion and Olympic silver medallist in Paris 2024, Swedish record holder Fanny Roos, seventh at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 and fourth at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjng 2025, and China’s Zhang Linru, world under 20 champion in Tampere 2018.
Women’s javelin throw:
Chinese 17-year-old Yan Ziyi will take on her compatriot Dai Qianqian and Su Lingdan, Asian champion, who will represent China at the World under 20 Championships in Tokyo. Yan Ziyi won the world under 20 gold medal in Lima 2024 and improved her world under 20 record to 65.89m at the Chinese Championships in Quzhou on 2 August.
Men’s 400 metres:
USA’s Khaleb McRea will test his shape one week before competing at the World Championships in Tokyo. McRea broke the 44 seconds barrier clocking 43.91 in London (Ontario) and finished third at the US Championships in Eugene in 44.16 and at Continental Tour Gold meeting in Budapest in 44.11. McRea will take on his compatriot Bryce Deadmon, who clocked 44.34 in the heats of the US Championships in Eugene and 44.39 in Memphis.
Men’s 100 metres:
Canada’s André De Grasse, Olympic champion in the 200 metres in Tokyo 2021 and in the 4x100 relay in Paris 2024, will face Puerto Rico’s Eloy Benitez, finalist in the 60 metres at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing 2025 after clocking 6.49 in the heats and 6.52 in the semifinal, USA’s Brandon Hicklin, who finished second in the 4x100 at the World Relays in Guangzhou and clocked 9.93 in the 100 metres, and China’s Xie Zhenye, who set PBs of 9.97 in the 100 metres and 19.88 in the 200 metres.
Women’s 100 metres:
USA’s Maia McCoy starts as the favourite in the women’s 100 metres against Leah Bertrand from Trinidad and Tobago, who won the national title in 11.04 this year and set a PB of 10.92 last May in Jacksonville, and Celera Barnes, US indoor champion in the 60m in 7.11 in New York in 2025. McCoy set a PB of 10.96 in Eisenstadt and won in Berlin (11.01), Lignano Sabbiadoro (11.11), Rovereto (11.19) and Heusden Zolder with a wind-assisted 10.90.
Men’s 110 metres hurdles:
USA’s Freddie Crittenden, fourth at the World Championships in Budapest 2023 and sixth at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, will clash against his compatriot Eric Edwards, second at the 2022 NCAA Championships and third at the Diamond League meeting in Chorzow in 13.20. Crittenden holds the fastest time among the entrants with his PB of 12.93 set at the US Championships in Eugene.
Women’s 100 metres hurdles:
US Championships finalist Rayniah Jones will face Anna Toth, second at the Hungarian Championships in 12.77, and Ricarda Lobe, German champion in Dresden in 12.93. Jones set a PB of 12.59 at last year’s US Championships in Eugene.
Women’s 400 metres hurdles:
Louise Maraval from France, European silver medallist in Rome 2024, will take on Tia-Adana Belle, winner at the recent NACAC Championships in Freeport in 54.67.
Men’s 800 metres:
Kenya’s Wycliffe Kinyamal, two-time winner at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and 2022, will face Mark English, who set the Irish record with 1:43.37 at the Continental Tour Gold meeting and won two European bronze medals in Zurich 2014 and Munich 2022.
Men’s pole vault:
Ernest John Obiena from the Philippines, two-time medallist at the World Championships (bronze in Eugene 2022 with 5.94m and silver in Budapest 2023), will clash against Chinese pole vaulters Huang Bokai and Li Chenyang, who both cleared 5.85m this year.
Men’s long jump:
US long jumper Will Williams, second at the US Championships with 8.14m in Eugene last June, will test his shape one week before the World Championships in Tokyo against his compatriot Cameron Crump, who placed second at the 2025 US Indoor Championships in New York with 8.04m.
