Shenzhen’s Chen Ding became China’s youngest ever gold medallist in a track and field event by winning the 20 km Race Walking race on Saturday, according to local media. Chen, a veteran of the Shenzhen Universiade, turned 20 yesterday.

Chen won the race by 11 seconds, which allowed him to be cocky enough to high-five spectators as he approached the finish line. Screaming Chinese fans gathered near Buckingham Palace where the race came to its conclusion to sing “Chen Ding, come on! Motherland, come on!”

Chen is a student of South China University of Technology and a member of the Guangdong Province Athletic Team.

The gruelling race saw defending champion Valeriy Borchin of Russia collapse within sight of the finish line. He was rushed to hospital where he is recovering.

Race Walking became an olympic sport in 1904. According to the rules, a competitor must have at least one foot in contact with the ground at all times.

Chen told media that he initially wanted to be a runner, but he was pointed in the direction of power walking. “I did not do so well in school and wanted to do sports so I didn’t have to go school,” he said. “I was interested in running, but I ended up in walking because they came to my school and told me to try. And here I am.”

Coming from Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei area, Chen had good reason to want to learn how to move fast. Have you seen the hawkers around there?