Chen Yujie (right) hugs a fellow competitor after the race. [Photo/Organizing Committee of the Wanda Diamond League Xiamen]

Chen Yujie, a sprinter from Ningbo city in East China's Zhejiang province, delivered a stunning personal best at the Wanda Diamond League Xiamen — setting a new Asian U18 record in the women's 200m event.

Competing in her Diamond League debut on April 26, the 17-year-old clocked an impressive 22.99 seconds to finish fourth, smashing her previous personal best of 23.19 seconds and surpassing the previous Asian U18 record of 23.03 set by Bahrain's Salwa Eid Naser.

The meet in Xiamen city, in East China's Fujian province — the latest addition to the prestigious Diamond League circuit — featured a star-studded 200m lineup, including Jamaican sprint queen Shericka Jackson and American standouts Tamari Davis and Brittany Brown.

Chen, in Lane 1, reacted quickly at the start with a 0.172-second response time. She flashed aggressively around the curve, finding herself in third position as she hit the home straight.

Although she was overtaken in the final meters, her determined sprint saw her dip under the 23-second mark for the first time in her career. The race was won by Davis in a meet-record 22.41 seconds, with Jackson (22.79 seconds) and Brown (22.97 seconds) completing the podium.

"This result really surprised me. Racing alongside my idol, Shericka Jackson, made all my years of training feel worthwhile," said Chen after the race.

Already a member of China's national 4x100m relay team, Chen now shifts her focus to preparing for the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou on May 10 to 11.

"It was a thrilling experience. I just wanted to enjoy the race, learn from the international stars and absorb as much as I could," she added.