Wu and her compatriot Lin Yuwei will represent China in the event, with preliminary heats scheduled for Saturday and the final taking place a day later.
This marks Wu’s third appearance at the continental event, following the 2018 Games in Indonesia and the 2022 Hangzhou Games.
She enters the 2026 Asian Games with a season-best time of 12.99 seconds, achieved after winning the national title in Shandong in late June.
In that race, she narrowly edged out Lin by just 0.01 seconds against a 0.7 m/s headwind. However, her current season-best remains behind her personal best of 12.74 seconds, which she set in June 2024.
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Chinese track and field star Wu Yanni before a race. Photo by Instagram/@wuyanni_jennie |
Her preparation for Nagoya has met some challenges. Speaking to Xinhuathe 29-year-old athlete noted that her recovery ability has slowed. Although she has avoided major injuries, Wu frequently has plantar fasciitis, lower back muscle strain, and knee effusion. She said her body often reacts strongly after each training session.
These problems limited her competition schedule during the 2026 season. She has also dedicated training time to improving her flat-sprint speed and explosiveness, areas where she admitted she did not have an advantage over Japanese athletes.
Despite a dip from her peak performances, Wu remains satisfied with her preparation. She emphasized the importance of competing with a relaxed mindset without putting pressure on herself, prioritizing step-by-step execution and maximum effort in every race.
Wu also faces a mental hurdle as the Asian Games is linked to one of the most forgettable races of her career. At the 2023 Hangzhou Games, she reached the 100m hurdles final but was disqualified for a false start. Her compatriot Lin went on to win gold.
The Chinese duo will face stiff competition from the host nation’s athletes in Nagoya. Several Japanese opponents, including Mako Fukube and Hitomi Nakajima, have clocked times under 13 seconds during the 2026 season.
At 29, Wu still aims to achieve milestones beyond the Asian Games. She has her sights set on the Chinese national record of 12.64 seconds, which is just 0.10 seconds faster than her personal best. She also targets a top-eight finish at the Olympics and challenges the Asian record
“I still have unfulfilled goals and dreams,” Wu told Xinhuaaffirming that she is not yet considering retirement.
Wu’s significant international breakthrough occurred at the 2023 World University Games in Chengdu, where she ran a then-personal best of 12.76 seconds to win silver and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics
At the Paris Games, she became the first Chinese athlete to run the 100m hurdles in under 13 seconds at an Olympics, recording times of 12.97 and 12.98 seconds in the preliminary and playoff rounds. However, that result could not earn her a place in the semifinals.
She achieved further milestones the following year. At the Diamond League in Keqiao in May 2025, Wu ran 12.96 seconds, placing eighth. Later that month, at the Asian Championships in Gumi, South Korea, she won the bronze medal in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.07 seconds.
She also holds the Chinese national record for the indoor 60m hurdles, setting a mark of 8.01 seconds in March 2025.