(L to R) Maxime Desportes of France, Valentino de Vanna of Italy, Alwi Nur of Malaysia and Juan Arango Norena of Spain compete during the Men Elite 400m qualification at UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Xu Jianyuan of China competes during the Men Elite 400m qualification at UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Premyslaw Janczuk (L) of Poland and Daniel Ekstrom of Sweden compete during the Men Elite 400m qualification at UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

(L to R) Warren James Whitson of South Africa, Loris Pintarelli of Italy, Thomas Matthews of Britain and Hua Zhengjie of China compete during the Men Elite 400m qualification at UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Ahgie Radan (L) of the Philippines, Alban Daniel Sauveur Baudrier (C) of France and Kirils Truhins of Latvia compete during the Men Elite 400m qualification at UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

(from R to L) Marites Nocyao of the Philippines, Farida Khalil of Egypt and Nicole Carys Ras of South Africa compete during the Women Elite 400m qualification at UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Prokhor Khanonin of Russia competes during the Men Elite 400m qualification at UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Luke Beckstrand of the United States competes during the Men Elite 400m qualification at UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

(L to R) Ahgie Radan of the Philippines, Alban Daniel Sauveur Baudrier of France, Kirils Truhins of Latvia and Xu Jianyuan of China compete during the Men Elite 400m qualification at UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)