Su-per support

Xie's relationship with fellow star sprinter Su Bingtian has intrigued fans through the years, with the pair rivals on the track but firm friends off it.

Su dashed into the history books this summer in Tokyo by becoming the first Chinese to reach an Olympic 100m final, refreshing the Asian record to 9.83 sec in the process in his semifinal.

The 32-year-old maintained that fine form in Xi'an in September when he beat Xie to claim his first National Games 100m title in 9.95.

Asked about the competition with Xie, Su said of his national squad teammate: "I trust in Xie to have better results next year when he competes at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. We shouldn't just question an athlete when he's not at his best. Instead, we need to help and encourage him to regain his momentum."

Xie says he took solace in Su's words.

"I was very touched when I heard Su Bingtian say those words to the media. I almost felt I was about to cry. This year was tough for me. He knows what I have gone through as he has been in a similar situation before," Xie told China Daily.

"I just wanted to tell him at that moment that I will try my best to achieve better results to meet his expectations. I didn't say too much at the media conference. I think many people know the feeling of meeting someone who knows and understands all about you.

"Teaming up with a great sprinter like Su Bingtian has made me a better athlete. With his influence in the team, you automatically train harder and better. He's my friend and my teacher. We have a close relationship."