(Beijing May 25) The Sichuan team forced a 0.01 second win over Japan in the men's 4x100m relay final at the "Good Luck Beijing" 2008 China Athletics Open this evening.

The relay final had been expected to be a duel between Japan and China's national team, which consisted of Wen Yongyi, Zhang Peimeng, Hu Kai and Liang Jiahong, and China proved to be strong by leading the first 300 meters. However, a failed baton change happened between the Chinese athletes as the third runner Hu Kai accidentally fell and the baton slipped from the hand of his teammate Liang Jiahong, the last runner. Japan and Guangdong lost no time in forging ahead in the last leg.

As from nowhere, Sichuan's last runner Yin Hualong, lagging behind his Japanese counterpart by two meters from the baton change, sped up and inched nearer before crossing the line for a 39.45 seconds victory.

Within 10 seconds Sichuan successfully regained the lead lost by the national team and finished first in the white-hot race. The audience burst into thunderous applause and cheers for the indomitable spirit shown by the Sichuan athletes. Facing camera, Yin Hualong pointed at the characters "Sichuan" on his vest and roared, "I'm from Sichuan!" It was indeed an inspiring win for Sichuan after Sichuan Province was hit by an 8.0-magnitude earthquake on May 12, which took a heavy toll of over 60,000 lives.