NANJING, China (AP) — Tattoos depicting warriors, superheroes, lions and the Olympic rings were among the motivational motifs inked onto some of the athletes competing at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, over the weekend.
For Brazilian sprinter Matheus Lima, the Olympic rings stood out on his right shoulder under the image of a big cat with a full mane when he raced on Friday.
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Camryn Newton Smith competes in the Pentathlon women's high jump during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Valters Kreiss, of Latvia, makes an attempt in the men's pole vault final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Jacory Patterson stands before the start of 400 meters men's heat during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Chase Jackson, of the United States, competes in the women's Shot Put final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Devine Charlton, of Bahamas, celebrates after winning gold in the women's 60 meter hurdles at the the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Ewa Swoboda of Poland stand after winning the women's 60 meter semifinal during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Jacory Patterson, left, of the United States, receives the baton from teammate Brian Faust, during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Sunday, March 23, 2025.(AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Matheus Lima prepares to compete in 400 meters men's heat during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Valters Kreiss, of Latvia, practices before the start of the men's pole vault final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Jakob Ingebrigtsen, of Norway, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 3000 meters final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Sarah Mitton of Canada, left, and Chase Jackson, of the United States, participate in the women's Shot Put final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Some other Olympians have more subtle representations of the rings, like Canada's two-time world indoor shot put champion Sarah Mitton, who has the interconnected blue, black, red, yellow and green logo on the back of her arm.
Athletes traveled from all over the world to compete at the three-day indoor championships, and the styles of body art varied as much as the individuals who jumped, ran or threw in the hope of winning medals in Nanjing.
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Camryn Newton Smith competes in the Pentathlon women's high jump during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Valters Kreiss, of Latvia, makes an attempt in the men's pole vault final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Jacory Patterson stands before the start of 400 meters men's heat during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Chase Jackson, of the United States, competes in the women's Shot Put final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Devine Charlton, of Bahamas, celebrates after winning gold in the women's 60 meter hurdles at the the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Ewa Swoboda of Poland stand after winning the women's 60 meter semifinal during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Jacory Patterson, left, of the United States, receives the baton from teammate Brian Faust, during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Sunday, March 23, 2025.(AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Matheus Lima prepares to compete in 400 meters men's heat during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Valters Kreiss, of Latvia, practices before the start of the men's pole vault final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Jakob Ingebrigtsen, of Norway, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 3000 meters final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Sarah Mitton of Canada, left, and Chase Jackson, of the United States, participate in the women's Shot Put final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Firefighters announced progress Wednesday night on containing two of the largest wildfires burning in the North Carolina mountains, but they warned that fire danger remained from dry and windy conditions.
Hundreds of people have been asked to leave their homes in North Carolina and South Carolina as a half-dozen large fires are burning in the Blue Ridge Mountains, spreading smoke into places like Greenville. Millions of fallen trees from September's Hurricane Helene are both providing fuel for the wildfires and hindering firefighters' use of logging roads and paths.
The North Carolina Forest Service said that the Black Cove Fire and Deep Woods Fire were each more than 10% contained on Wednesday night, after days of reporting zero containment for the two blazes. The fires have scorched nearly 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) combined, but the size of the area burned has largely remained the same since the previous day.
About 250 homes have been evacuated in Polk County, where the fires are centered. About two dozen homes and outbuildings have been destroyed in Polk County, spokesperson Kellie Cannon said.
Firefighters have managed to save most of the structures near the fires. Only one injury has been reported — a firefighter in North Carolina got his leg caught under a tree, officials said.
There is rain in the forecast for the weekend, but it isn't the kind of soaking downpour that can knock a fire out on its own, said National Weather Service meteorologist Ashley Rehnberg in Greer, South Carolina.
“Hopefully that will at least calm things down briefly,” Rehnberg said.
The bright spot in the forecast for the next week is there is no especially dangerous day where the winds and the dry weather reach potentially disastrous levels like in Los Angeles in January or Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in 2016.
Forestry agencies in North Carolina and South Carolina are already figuring out how to rotate teams of firefighters into and out of the mountains for what could be a long fight.
“Burn bans are in place, and people need to follow them,” Rehnberg said. “Even if we do get rain, the weather is going to continue to be a problem as far as we can forecast.”
South Carolina fire officials called for their first round of evacuations Tuesday night. Two fires are burning — a larger one inside Table Rock State Park in Pickens County that has consumed 3.6 square miles (9.3 square kilometers) and another one on Persimmon Ridge in Greenville County that has burned 1.6 square miles (4 square kilometers).
About 250 homes are in the Pickens County evacuation zone with more in neighboring Greenville County, authorities said.
The fires are about 8 miles (12.5 kilometers) apart, and winds are strong enough that authorities decided to evacuate the area between the two fires.
Wednesday's dry weather led to several new fires in western North Carolina and prompted Gov. Josh Stein to declare a state of emergency in 34 western counties. At least nine fires were active in that part of the state, officials said.
“Our State Emergency Response Team is responding with every tool at its disposal. Please stay safe and stay alert for any evacuation orders if the fires spread to an area near you,” Stein said in a statement.
Late Tuesday, a wildfire started in far western North Carolina not far from Bryson City. Police were evacuating dozens of people as the fire spread to nearly 1 square mile (1.6 square kilometers).
The fires in South Carolina have been caused by humans.
Authorities from local fire chiefs all the way to South Carolina's governor are urging people to heed burn bans in both states and stop setting fires to burn garbage or at campsites.
“We have people going out in the woods and in their backyards and starting fires when the wind is blowing and everything is dry,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said. “We just have to use common sense. People get out in nature and they forget how dangerous it can be."
The Black Cove Fire is seen burning Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
The Black Cove Fire is seen burning Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A home that was lost to a wildfire is seen Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Lake Lure, N.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A home that was lost to a fire is seen Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Lake Lure, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
The Black Cove Fire burns on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A firefighter works to clear debris from Hurricane Helene to protect a home as the Black Cove Fire burns nearby Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighter John Ward lights a backburn to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters work to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A firefighter works to control a protective backburn fire as the Black Cove Fire burns nearby Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A firefighter works a protective backburn to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters work to clear debris from Hurricane Helene to protect a home as the Black Cove Fire burns nearby Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters work to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
The Black Cove Fire is seen Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A firefighter lights a protective backburn fire to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters look at a map as the Black Cove Fire burns nearby Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters work a backburn to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters work to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters watch a water helicopter as they work to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighter John Ward works to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A helicopter does a water drop on the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A firefighter works to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A helicopter does a water drop on the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A firefighter lights a protective backburn fire to control the Black Cove Fire Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Hector Medrano, a firefighter from California, stands in the midst of debris from Hurricane Helene as coordinates a helicopter water drop for the wildfires Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Smoke from wildfires billows in the background as firefighters from North Carolina and across the U.S. gather for a morning coordination meeting Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Mill Spring, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters from North Carolina and across the U.S. get breakfast after they gather for a morning coordination meeting Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Mill Spring, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters from North Carolina and across the U.S. gather for a morning coordination meeting Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Mill Spring, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters from North Carolina and across the U.S. gather for a morning coordination meeting Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Mill Spring, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Hector Medrano, a firefighter from California, stands in the midst of debris from Hurricane Helene as coordinates a helicopter water drop for the wildfires Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
The Black Cove Fire is seen Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Firefighters from North Carolina and across the U.S. gather for a morning coordination meeting Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Mill Spring, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
The Black Cove Fire is seen Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Hector Medrano, a firefighter from California, watches the Black Cove Fire as he coordinates a helicopter water drop Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Saluda, N.C.. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
