Asian champion Zhang Wenxiu wins first title after doping incident

Asian hammer throw champion Zhang Wenxiu claimed her first title since she was cleared of doping when the 29-year-old delivered a 71.91-meter throw at the National Athletics Championships.

Zhang's winning throw at at the Bird's Nest Stadium was nearly six meters shy of her personal best - 77.33m.

"The result was not so good compared to my best performance," Zhang said afterwards. "But I am still satisfied as I resumed systematic training only a month ago."

Zhang won her third consecutive Asian Games title last September in Incheon, South Korea, with a new games record throw of 77.33m. But she was stripped of the gold for failing a pre-competition drug test. According to OCA, her urine sample was found to contain the banned substances Zeranol.

Zhang, the bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympic Games, then filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport and successfully had OCA's decision overturned.

She returned to competitive race last month at the IAAFWorld Challenge meeting - also at the "Bid's Nest", where she only finished the seventh with 71.37m.

With less than two months to go before the world championships start in Beijing, Zhang vowed to work hard.

"I know that I am not in a good form now. Injuries are also plaguing me, but I will try my best," she said.

Zhang's rival and teammate Wang Zheng, the Asian record holder, failed to throw over the 70-meter mark, finishing second with only 69.47m, far behind her personal record of 77.68m.

"I changed my technique a bit during the winter training," said the 27-year-old Wang. "I could not find my rhythm and therefore I was not confident during the competition."

Wang, looking forward to her first medal at the World Championships, still believed that she could solve the problem in time.

In men's pole vault, Zhang Wei and Yao Jie both reached the Worlds entry standard of 5.65m. Zhang took the gold medal with one attempt while Yao had silver with two attempts.

Yao then tried on the height of 5.81m, a new national record if he succeeded, but failed twice and gave up the third attempt due to a foot injury.

"It was a big relief for us to qualify for the World Championships," said Yao, a university student from Shanghai. "I am expecting my first worlds, but now I have to had my foot treated and pass my examinations at first."

The three-day National Championships also serve as a test event for the August 22-30 World Championships. Endi