China's brightest javelin throw star not allowed at world championships for being underage, sparking debate

Yan Ziyi (C) wins the gold medal at the U20 World Athletics Championships in Lima, Peru in August 2024. Photo by World Athletics

According to World Athletics regulations, athletes under the age of 16 cannot compete at world championships. For events like javelin throw, triathlon, 10,000 m run, marathon and race walking, the minimum age is 18.

This means that despite her exceptional talent and her top-three world ranking, Yan, born in 2008, will have to wait another year before becoming eligible to compete at the senior level.

Two other teenage athletes are still allowed to compete in different events at the 2025 World Championships, Australian sprinter Gout Gout (17) and American runner Lutkenhaus (16).

Gout Gout, often compared to the legendary Usain Bolt, broke the Australian 200 m record during his first international professional race at the Ostrava Golden Spike in June. Lutkenhaus made headlines in American athletics after finishing second in the men's 800 m at the US Outdoor Athletics Championships, clocking 1 minute and 42.27 seconds.

The strict age rules in athletics stand in contrast to some other sports. At the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in July, 12-year-old Chinese prodigy Yu Zidi won a bronze medal in the women's 4×200m freestyle relay.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Yan's exclusion sparked debates about age limits in elite sports.

Many argue that age limits are necessary to protect athletes' long-term health, particularly in physically demanding events like the javelin throw or marathon.

However, other opinions insist that exceptional talents like Yan should be given the opportunity to compete rather than being restricted by rigid regulations.

Born in 2008, Yan is China's brightest rising star in javelin throw. She gained attention in 2024 for regularly surpassing 60 m, winning the national championship in Tianjin with a throw distance of 61.31m. In April of the same year, she set the U20 world record with a 64.28 m throw at the China Athletics GP, breaking a record that had stood since 2015.

Despite her achievements, she was still too young to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics under World Athletics rules. In August 2024, Yan claimed gold at the U20 World Championship in Lima, Peru, further proving her outstanding talent.

In 2025, Yan continued to shine, setting the U20 world record three times in a row, most recently with a throw of 65.89m, which secured her third place in the world rankings for the season. She also competed in the Diamond League in Shanghai in May, finishing fifth with a throw of 60.54m, before winning the Continental Tour Gold stage in Beijing. These results show that the young Chinese star is fully capable of competing at the highest level, if not for age restrictions.

The 2025 World Athletics Championships will be held from Sept. 13 to 21 at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Featuring 49 events, including running, jumping, throwing, triathlon, marathon and race walking, the tournament serves as a key preparation ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.