Chinese high jumper Zhang hopes to break national record at World Championships

Chinese high jumper Zhang Guowei, who is absent from the ongoing Asian Athletcis Championships, said on Friday that he wants to break the national record at the upcoming World Championships in August.

The 24-year-old just improved his personal best to 2.38 meters at the IAAF Diamond League Eugene meet on last Saturday.

"I took part in seven competitions in a month, and I will go to Oslo on June 9 for the Diamond League meet on June 11," said Zhang, who is expected to end China's medal drought in men's high jump at the World Championships in Beijing.

"So I gave up the Asian Championships because my schedule is too tight," he said.

China took a bronze medal in the event through high jump legend Zhu Jiahua in 1983, and Zhu is the only male high jumper from China ever to place in the top eight at the World Championships and has held the national record of 2.39m since 1984.

"I only expect a normal performance in Oslo, and I will try to break the national record at the Beijing Worlds," said Zhang, who looks up to Zhu as his idol since he took up high jump at 15.

"I took part in too many competitions and I need some rest, so I will take the Oslo meet as training and perform in my normal level," he said. Endi