World Athletics President Sebastian Coe says China is "world class" at hosting major sporting events. CGTN's Dai Kaiyi interviewed the former British Olympic champion and world record holder at the Asian Winter Games.  

DAI KAIYI, CGTN: "How do you evaluate China's ability in hosting world-class athletics events?"

SEBASTIAN COE, President of World Athletics: "China is world class at staging world class events, we have three world championships. In the next two years in China, we have the world indoor championships in Nanjing in just a few weeks time. We then have the world relays in Guangzhou. And then the jewel in the crown in 2027 in Beijing is our world championships and it was in 2016 at the world championships in Beijing that I got elected as President of World Athletics. So I consider China to be my lucky country."

DAI KAIYI, CGTN: "What's your impression towards China's athletes this time?"

SEBASTIAN COE, President of World Athletics: "China's athletes are growing in stature all the time. I work very closely with the Chinese athletics federation and the National Olympic Committee, in fact, the university that I am the chancellor of, which is the number one sports university in the world, is working very closely with your coaches in China to develop pathways and programs and mutually help each other. So my relationships with China, both through World Athletics and through my university, and through the National Olympic Committee, are very strong relationships."

DAI KAIYI, CGTN: "The World Athletics will hold a series of events from 2025 to 2027. And as you mentioned, in the year of 2027, there's the World Championships in Beijing. Please describe to us the importance of China to your organisation."

SEBASTIAN COE, President, World Athletics: "The importance of China to World Athletics is huge. You have more people that are regularly running than any other country in the world in five K's and ten K's and half marathons and marathons. That is a very large and growing market for World Athletics. It's also critical because the Chinese government and all the big city governments understand that running and athletics is probably one of the best sports for helping develop the health and vibrancy, both mentally and physically of young people. So we see China as an important country for us, not just for our competition, but for also helping us grow our participation and make a contribution to the health of young people."