BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- With the 2025 World Athletics Continental Tour set to take place in Beijing on Sunday, athletes expressed their hopes of fine-tuning their form ahead of the upcoming World Athletics Championships.

The Beijing stop of the Continental Tour will feature more than 100 participants across the men's 100m, 400m, 800m, 110m hurdles, pole vault, high jump and long jump, as well as the women's 100m, 1500m, 3000m, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, shot put and javelin. The meet will run for just over two hours in the evening.

At a Saturday press conference, Olympic champion Andre De Grasse of Canada said returning to Beijing stirred fond memories.

"I can't believe it has been almost 10 years since I was here," De Grasse said. "When I got here, I looked across from my room in the hotel, and I saw the Bird's Nest, where I competed. It just brought back a lot of good memories. I'm looking forward to being here in two years again for the 2027 World Championships."

Canada's Sarah Mitton, who won the women's shot put title at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, said she is using the Beijing event to prepare for this month's World Championships in Tokyo.

"The world shot putters are getting a lot stronger, and many women are approaching the 21-meter mark," Mitton said. "I'm aiming for some really consistent throws to build my form heading into Tokyo."

China announced a 73-strong roster for the 2025 World Athletics Championships on Saturday, including veteran Xie Zhenye and young hurdler Chen Yuanjiang, who will also compete in the Beijing meet.

"It's a recognition of Chinese athletics to host a world-class event," Xie said. "For our athletes, especially the younger ones, it's a great opportunity to learn from the best at home and improve in the long run."

Chen added that the timing of the meet is crucial.

"The Beijing event comes very close to the World Championships in Tokyo," he said. "It will help me adapt to the intensity of high-level competitions, and I'll do my best to lower my personal best on the international stage." ■