On a sunny Sunday on Sanya's Phoenix Island in the tropical island province of Hainan, the women's high jump final of the just-concluded 2026 Asian Beach Games drew a packed house at the athletics venue, and for good reason.

China's Shao Yuqi and Hu Linpeng, the respective gold and bronze medalists from November's 15th National Games, were both expected to add another medal for their country.

But the open-air setting, with swaying coconut trees and an expanse of azure sea dwarfing the competition mats, along with a sand-covered run-up area, would test them in ways a traditional stadium high jump setup never could.

"When you compete indoors, the mats and the bar look quite large. In a 400-meter open-air stadium, they shrink a bit. But, today, on the sand, they seem tiny. The sky and the background stretch out endlessly, so it's a very wide-open view," said Hu.

While spectators can enjoy a unique and picturesque experience — watching athletes arch their backs and float over the bar with the sea breeze — for the jumpers, adapting to this environment is a real challenge, because the vast, open setting messes with their ingrained spatial awareness, making technical mistakes more likely.

"The sand saps some of your energy, so you don't build up as much speed on the run-up. That means we have to rely more on vertical explosive power," Hu said.