Top Stories...
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Top 10 athletes of China in 2011
1. Li Na (tennis)
The 29-year-old made history as the first Chinese and Asian tennis player to enter a Grand Slam singles final at the Australian Open. Later in June, Li was crowned as the first-ever Grand Slam champion for China and Asia in the French Open, beating defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-4, 7-6 (0).
2. Sun Yang (swimming)
The 20-year-old won the men's 800 and 1,500 meters freestyle gold medals at the 14th FINA World Championships in July. Sun clocked 14:34.14 in 1,500m to break the world record of 14:34.56 set by Australian Grant Hackett 10 years ago.
3. Zhang Jike (table tennis)
The 23-year-old dethroned top seeded Wang Hao to clinch the men's singles title at the World Table Tennis Championships in May. Zhang beat Wang again at the World Cup to become only the third player to sweep both World Championships and World Cup singles titles in the same year after Swede Jorgen Persson in 1991 and Chinese Kong Linghui in 1995.
4. Lin Dan (badminton)
The 28-year-old garnered eight titles in 2011, including April's Asian Championships, August's World Championships and December's World Superseries Finals.
5. Hou Yifan (chess)
The 17-year-old successfully defended her world championship title in November.
6. Li Yanfeng (athletics)
The 32-year-old won the women's discus event with a throw of 66.52 meters in the World Athletics Championships in August and triumphed in the Brussels Diamond League in September.
7. Wu Minxia (diving)
The 26-year-old won the women's 3m springboard title at the 14th FINA World Championships in July. She was also awarded as the 2011 FINA Best Female Diver in December.
8. Li Na (fencing)
The 30-year-old won the women's epee final at the World Fencing Championships in October.
9. Chen Yibing (gymnastics)
The 27-year-old led China to the men's team title in the World Gymnastics Championships in which he also won the rings gold.
10. Liu Xiang (athletics)
The 28-year-old hurdler recovered from injuries to clock an impressive time of 13.00 seconds at the Prefontaine Diamond League meeting and later took a silver medal in the World Athletics Championships.
Sharks thrash Golden Lions to extend win streak
The Shanghai Sharks have gained a reputation for close, nail-biting games, but they took it easy last night with an easy 93-81 win over the Tianjin Golden Lions.
The Sharks lost the lead early in the second quarter, but regained it minutes later. Mike Harris finished off the quarter with an off-balance buzzer beater putting the lead at 47-38.
The feisty Lions stuck around in the second half thanks to forward Zhang Nan's sharpshooting, but never seriously threatened the lead after halftime.
Each time Tianjin would put together a few points in a row you could count a fadeaway jumper from Mike Harris or an open three pointer from Ryan Forehan-Kelly finding the net. Harris finished with 27 points and Forehan-Kelly had 24.
Point guard Liu Wei ran the offense to perfection, tossing a lob from half court for a Harris slam and driving and kicking to Taiwanese big man Tseng Wen-ting. Liu had 12 points and 4 assists.
Shanghai head coach Daniel Panaggio said his team's plan was to limit Tianjin's inside opportunities and make them hit outside shots. The plan worked to perfection as Tianjin took 35 three point shots and made only 8. Former NBA swingman Donnell Harvey worked hard inside gathering 17 rebounds and coming up with 27 tough points. Zhang finished with 21.
Without forward Peng Fei, Shanghai went with a three-guard lineup for much of the second quarter. Liu, Meng Lingyuan and Feng Tian sped up the game and picked apart a Tianjin zone defense. The trio combined for 6 assists in the quarter as Shanghai hit 5 of 8 three pointers.
The Sharks have been winning with their defense holding opposing teams to the least points a game in the league.
At the season's halfway point they are rounding into shape. Shanghai has won six of its last seven games and has as many wins as losses for the first time this season.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Guangzhou lands four more stars
Chinese Super League (CSL) champion Guangzhou Evergrande upgraded its squad by signing another four Chinese national team players on Monday.
With the recruitment of Rong Hao, Zhao Xuri, Li Jianbin, members of the senior national team, and Peng Xinli, a youth squad player, Evergrande now boasts 10 national players, the most in the league.
According to Chinese newspaper Soccer, the Cantonese club spent 22 million yuan ($3.5 million) in acquiring the four players, which includes a 12-million yuan deal for Hangzhou Greentown lynchpin Rong.
"Chinese soccer is becoming better, and there is no doubt that clubs will invest more into the transfer market," said Liu Yongzhuo, chairman of Evergrande. "In my opinion, the cost of domestic players must exceed 10 million yuan, which is one of the conditions of soccer development in China."
Evergrande was undoubtedly the biggest-spending club last season, as it spent 500 million yuan upgrading the team on the way to its first CSL title. It also created the league's biggest deal by bringing in Argentine midfielder Dario Conca for $10 million.
However, Shanghai Shenhua broke that record at the end of the season by signing French striker Nicolas Anelka. Liu said the coming of Anelka is good for the league, but refused to talk about his club's reported bid to lure Ivorian forward Didier Drogba, who is also apparently being chased by several other Chinese clubs.
"We will only talk about domestic players today," Liu said. "But I think the participation of players like Anelka will help improve the Chinese league and will make domestic games more attractive. I hope more distinguished players like Anelka will come to China.
"Each club has its own policy in introducing new players. I have said, for our club, the player's capability is more important than his fame, and his potential is more crucial than his experience. The list of our targeted players is proposed by the coaching team, and the club just works on it according to the coaching team's requirements."
Meanwhile, he said Evergrande will make more efforts to improve the medical treatment of its players next year. A new physical therapist from Germany will arrive on Jan 2, and the club has also reached an agreement with Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen to assist in that regard.
"We have signed a long-term contract with Leverkusen's recovery center, which means our players will be able to be diagnosed by German doctors while being treated in China, and we will also arrange for them to have surgery in Germany, if necessary," Liu said.
China's rookie stars rise in 2011
One year before London Olympic Games, women fencer Sun Yujie and a group of Chinese rookie stars could hardly wait to blossom in their own field. The best season for them is yet to come.
As a 19-year-old fencer, Sun dominated the women's epee rankings in the 2010/2011 season. She won the silver medal in the individual event at the World Fencing Championships in Catania and has achieved two podium positions during the season.
"I've been training for epee for eight years. The world No. 1 ranking has given me some boost. But I believe it's just a springboard for me to get closer to my dream," Sun said.
Besides the world top ranking, Sun also collected a silver medal in the individual event and a gold in the team event at the 2011 Junior World Championships in Jordan.
"London Olympic Games is my first Olympics, I hope I can smile at last," Sun said.
China is always lack of stars in the women's all-around gymnastics until the 16-year Yao Jinnan snatched a bronze in her first World Championships on Oct. 13 in Tokyo. Three days later, she finished runner-up on the beam.
"Yao is well-balanced in all the four apparatus with some trademark routines of high difficulty of degrees. What she needs is experience," Lu said.
Zhou Lulu, 23, set an aggregate world record to win the gold medal in the women's super heavyweight category at the World Weightlifting Championships in Paris on Nov 13.
Zhou lifted 146 kilograms in the snatch session and 182 in the clean and jerk for a 328 total to beat the previous mark of 327 set by Tatiana Kashirina of Russia at the European championships in April.
Li Jun, 26, shot a dramatic final of the men's double trap at the 2011 ISSF Shotgun World Championship in Serbia on Sept. 10, winning the event's sole Olympic quota place for China. It was only Li's third appearance at a World Cup event but he shone, having also won bronze earlier this year.
Yang Junjing emerged as a roaring star for the Chinese women volleyball team.
The 22-year-old Yang played a vital role in her team's victory at the World Grand Prix Hong Kong leg and Asian Women's Volleyball Championships as well as a bronze medal winning at the World Cup.
Since Yang's parents were both volleyball players, Yang was raised with volleyball as toys. She entered the national team last April and sparkled as a key scorer.
"I'm lucky that I entered the first-string team after veteran Xue Ming was injured. I have competed in many big events this year and gained more experience through the hard battles against the teams of United States, Russia, Serbia, etc..." Yang said. "My biggest dream is to stand on the podium of the Olympic Games. I'm trying my best to learn and to grow up."
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
China saw stunning string of victories
BEIJING - In 2011, big names left deep footprints in China's sports world.
Tennis ace Li Na fulfilled the nation's Grand Slam dream when she won the French Open in June. It is the first major title for a Chinese women's tennis player.
Star hurdler Liu Xiang, who has been suffering from a serious foot injury for almost three years, announced his strong comeback to the world championship stage by claiming the silver medal in August.
Badminton player "Super Dan", Lin Dan, claimed an unparalleled fourth world championship title and completing the super "Grand Slam" after winning the final at the BWF World Superseries Finals in December.
While NBA all-star Yao Ming impressed his fans in another way - announcing his retirement because of injury and starting a new life in the university.
However, we cannot ignore the remarkable performances of the youngsters below. They are shouldering the hopes of China's sports in the future.
Sui Lu, 19, gymnastics
The 2011 World Gymnastics Championships in October in Tokyo marked a new beginning for Sui.
The 19-year-old clinched her first world championship title on the balance beam and secured a silver medal in the floor exercise. She also helped the women's team to take home bronze.
Sui distinguished herself as early as in 2007 at the National Intercity Games, where she helped the Shanghai gymnastic team win gold after a 27-year drought.
But her inconsistent performances the following year cost her the opportunity to compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Sui shined again at the Guangzhou Asian Games last year, where she bagged four gold medals - in the balance beam, floor exercise, women's all-round and team events.
The victory in Tokyo was an opportunity for her to gain confidence and push for a place at the London Olympics.
"This is my first world championship title. Previously, I had always disappointed people, but they never gave up on me. I am really grateful for their support," said Sui after the championships in Tokyo.
"There is still a long time before the London Olympic Games. I hope I can adjust my weight and psychology, and also avoid injury."
Despite Sui's modesty, Lu Shanzhen, the women's team coach, praised Sui for her leadership skills.
"Having Sui back on the right track is our biggest achievement at the world championships," Lu said. "She finished three events with a strong performance and proved herself the best gymnast on this Chinese team, especially when veterans like He Kexin and Jiang Yuyuan were in a slump."
"She finally solved the problems that have hovered around her for three years, and I believe she will have a bright future at the London Olympics."
Ye Shiwen, 15, swimming
Ye is one of the great hopes for the future of Chinese swimming, and the year 2011 saw her first appearance on the highest podium at the world championships.
At the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai in July, Ye captured the crown of the 200m individual medley, beating a star-studded field, including defending champion and world-record holder Ariana Kukors of the US and Australia's Olympic champion Stephanie Rice.
Later, at the National Intercity Games, the 15-year-old pocketed five gold medals, including the 200m and 400m individual medley.
Ye has drawn attention since the Guangzhou Asian Games in November 2010. As the youngest Chinese athlete at the Guangzhou Asiad, Ye clinched the gold medal of women's 400m individual medley, beating teammate and Asian record holder Li Xuanxu.
Beginning swimming training at age 6, Ye, who was born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, stood out because of her outstanding physical condition.
"Ye was different from the others when I first saw her," said her first coach Wei Wei. "Her hands and feet were bigger than other children's of the same age, which is an advantage."
Sun Yujie, 19, fencing
Sun is only 19 years old but she has already established herself internationally. Sun surged to No 1 in the world rankings in women's saber after her impressive showing at the recently concluded world championships, where she took silver in individual and team events. She also won two gold medals at the National Intercity Games.
The 1.92-meter-tall fencer had a consistent year as she won bronze medals at the Spain and German World Cup meets.
At the year-end ranking in women's saber, Sun was No 1, edging out teammate and world champion Li Na.
Tian Yuan, 18, weightlifting
Tian's debut on the international stage ended in success this year.
Tian broke the world junior record for the clean and jerk in the women's 48kg category at the National Intercity Games in October.
Later, at the world championships in November, she claimed the gold medals in women's clean and jerk, snatch and total results in the 48kg category.
To the surprise of all, Tian used to be a sprinter at primary school, where she won the 100m and 200m titles. But she caught the eye of a weightlifting coach and turned to the sport in 2006.
Only two years later, Tian was crowned the national champion in women's 48kg and set the world junior record at the Youth Olympic Games in 2010.
Her next goal is the "gold medal at the London Olympics", as she said.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Christmas cheer in city as Sharks edge Ducks
The Shanghai Sharks pulled off a Christmas Day miracle yesterday, upsetting the top-ranked Beijing Ducks 96-87 in front of a raucous crowd in Santa hats.
Shanghai has now won five out of its last six games while Beijing dropped its second game in a row after winning its first 13.
Mike Harris sparked a final fourth quarter comeback with a thunderous slam and guard Meng Lingyuan gave the Sharks the lead with an acrobatic fastbreak layup with two minutes left to send the Shanghai crowd into a festive frenzy.
In the final minutes, the Shark defense frustrated former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury into misses and mistakes, as Beijing lost control of the lead and the game. A Ryan Forehan-Kelly three pointer that hit nothing but net sealed the victory.
Beijing held a 47-39 halftime lead, but the Sharks launched a 18-5 run to start the third. Harris attacked the basket and put up 13 points in the quarter while Zhang Zhaoxu set the tone on defense with two powerful swats.
By the end of the third quarter it looked like Beijing had taken back control with its physical center Randolph Morris. But Shanghai guard Feng Tian came through with an improbable three. He then converted a transition layup to shorten the lead to two and set up an exciting fourth quarter.
Forehan-Kelly ended the game with 25 points and three 3 pointers, Harris had 21 and 13 rebounds and Zhang had 16 points and 13 rebounds. Morris led Beijing with 26 points and Marbury struggled with just 15 points and 5 assists.
Shanghai head coach Daneil Panggio said that his team was starting to turn the corner.
"I'm really proud of my team," he said. "I think they keep working and getting better, and they're really starting to believe in themselves."
The Sharks had a good start to the game with a balanced inside and outside attack getting 7 points from both Forehan-Kelly and Zhang in the first quarter to take a four point lead.
In the second quarter, the Shanghai offense couldn't get in sync, while Marbury was able to penetrate and find shooters Zhai Xiaochuan and Ji Zhe open for jumpers. The two combined for 24 points in the first half.
The Shanghai Sharks continue their five game homestand on Wednesday night against the Tianjin Gold Lions.
Chinese Christmas for former NBA stars
BEIJING - This could be their most memorable Christmas abroad: basketball games, as usual; cheers and tears, as usual; Christmas night, in China.
Their old friends, at the same night in North America, were embracing the hard-won NBA openers, while Aaron Brooks, Macus Williams and J.R. Smith were playing hard here in China.
"I miss my home, but I love my bros in this team," said Brooks, who scored 21 points on Sunday and gifted the CBA defending champions another victory against Shanxi.
The 26-year-old former Houston Rockets and Phenix Suns player joined the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) club Guangdong Hongyuan only a month ago, marking the latest NBA player to escape -- only 10 days after he signed his name on the contract with Guangdong, the 149-day lockout broke up.
"I am playing here with no regret, although I desire to continue my career in NBA," he said.
Brooks averages 18 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists in 13 CBA games. It is certainly not a highlighted statistics, but he brings the team sharpness and energy.
"He is sharp in attacking and he is getting into character," said Guangdong's coach Li Chunjiang.
At this Christmas night, Brooks could easily find one of his old friends here: Macus Williams, a former Nets player who played for Shanxi this season, scored a game high 35 points.
Williams averaged 28.8 points this season, only paled before two players. One of them is J.R. Smith.
The former Nuggets guard is now enjoying his most favorable time in China. He scored 33 points with 7 3-pointers made to lead Zhejiang Chouzhou a comfortable away win at Christmas night.
However, the "bad boy" had experienced his bad days. Getting injured in his CBA debut, the 3-pointer elite said he was disappointed at CBA. Then he was doubted by many that he would go back to NBA.
But two days later, he came back to the court, beyond the imagination of many more.
The 26-year-old now averages 35.5 points in 14 games, topping the CBA scorers list. However, he owed his outstanding performance to Steven Marbury, the former Knicks All-Star player who came to China in 2009.
After Smith got injured, the 34-year old told him "how to do and how to say" in CBA.
Brooks, Williams, and Smith are obligated to play the full season in China, according to their contracts, But Marbury's words might become their comfort when they miss home.
"Merry Christmas, China. I love you because you say you love me. Love is Love!" Marbury, who has more than 1.8 million followers on his microblog said at the Christmas Eve.
Pakistan complete China hockey clean-sweep
LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistan on Sunday completed a clean sweep of China in their four-match series, the first international hockey event in the troubled country since 2004.
Pakistan won the final match 2-1 to emerge unbeaten in the series after taking the first three games in Karachi and Faisalabad earlier this week by 3-0, 5-3 and 3-1.
Pakistan gained the early lead when Vice-captain Shakeel Abbasi made a field goal in the first major attack of the match.
Fareed Ahmed drew the second in the 26th minute to double the lead, while China's lone goal came in the 33rd minute when Dong Yang dodged Pakistan's defence in the final moments of the first half.
"The Chinese played a much improved game today. They kept us tight," said Pakistan captain Muhammad Imran.
"We had a clear edge on them in the first two matches but they had a good come back in the last two," he added.
Pakistan, however, gifted the series trophy to their rivals to acknowledge their support for the violence-hit country.
A campaign of Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked attacks across Pakistan, including an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009, made Pakistan a virtual "no go" zone for international sport.
"China lost the hockey series but won the friendship series by coming to Pakistan. So, we will give this trophy to them," Asif Bajwa, the secretary of Pakistan Hockey Federation, said at the awards ceremony.
"They have proved that there is no security threat to any foreign team in Pakistan and sport is fully protected over here," he said.
Pakistan, which last hosted an international major hockey event seven years ago, hopes the Chinese tour will help convince other foreign teams to visit.
The country is also working to resume a bilateral hockey series with arch-rivals India, after they were suspended following the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
Less popular sports take hold
BEIJING - Wang Kaidong's face turned red when he launched an attack with a foil, and his mother watched his every move with a content smile on her face.
The seven-year-old had a 45-minute private fencing lesson and another 90-minute group combat lesson one recent afternoon at the Vango Fencing Club in Beijing.
As Chinese urbanites have become better-off in the recent years, they have shown a growing interest in traditionally less popular sports such as fencing and equestrian-related activities.
Wang's parents spend 6,000 yuan ($950) annually on Wang's group lessons, almost a month's salary for many Beijingers, and another 150 yuan for each session of private coaching.
But the sport's costs have not hampered its development in China.
Vango Club was founded in 2007 with only several dozen members. In less than five years, its enrollment has increased to more than 8,000 members. Two more Vango outlets will soon open in the southern cities of Foshan and Shenzhen.
"Vango is now the largest fencing club in the world!" said Cong Dawei, the assistant head coach. "We are thinking about starting a fencing league among all the clubs in China, so our members can have more competitions."
Chinese parents see the sport as a gentleman's game that can help build character, as it is often associated with knighthood and nobility.
"Fencing is a gentleman's game and I want my son to be a gentleman," Wang's mother Yang Ning said. "It is especially helpful for boys, as the sport is very competitive and it requires a brave and concentrated mind."
Meanwhile, equestrian sports also have noble and aristocratic connotations, and have sprung up in China in recent years, too. There are currently more than 300 equestrian clubs around the country, and 300,000 people are taking part in the sport.
Ten-year-old Wang Xinyue started her riding classes in Qiji Equestrian Club in Beijing during the May Day Holiday, and has had more than 30 riding sessions so far. She believes the horse is her good friend, and she pets it and feeds it a carrot after class.
"It is great fun. I like it very much," Wang said.
Wu Di, manager of Qiji, said that among its 300 members, one-third of beginners are parents and their kids. The rate tends to increase during summer vacation.
"The sport promotes children's physical development and is very effective in character building. Spending time with animals is beneficial to children," Wu said.
Parents say that the club offers a respite from their children's heavy homework loads, and that riding horses in the countryside can give them a chance to breathe fresh air, as well as teach them courage, responsibility and fulfillment.
In Qiji, the cost of hiring a coach can range from 100 and 300 yuan, depending on their experience.
As the number of people participating in the sport multiplies and more equestrian clubs pop up around China, more and more horses from around the world are being brought to the country.
Cheng Qing, the Secretary-General of the Chinese Equestrian Association, feels proud of the progress.
"With the development of the economy and the promotion of people's cultural lives, they have gradually learned that equestrianism combines movement with serenity. So the sport has great energy," Cheng said.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Beijing suffers first defeat in 14 CBA games
FOSHAN, South China, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Beijing Ducks suffered a bitter 105-101 defeat to Foshan LongLions here on Friday to conclude their 13- game winning streak in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league.
"Our boys believed each other at the court, that's the way they won by," said Foshan's coach Jay Humpheries, who believed it was the home team's most beautiful ever victory in CBA this season.
However, Beijing, who are enjoying the team's best ever start in CBA, could hardly believe their eyes when they were trailing by 23 points in the third quarter against the home team who only got 4 victories in their 13 games.
It was yet not too late for the Capital Five to struggle on the slenderest of odds when Steven Marbury made a crucial 3-pointer to cut to a 3 points game with 4 minutes left in the fourth quarter, only to see Foshan's Marcus Haislip answer one from downtown to regain the 6-point lead with only 45 seconds to go.
Marbury, who had become the leader and soul of the team, never gave up his leadership in the whole game with the team-high 31 points, but had to accept the bitter result after losing their foul strategy.
"We hope the defeat could release our pressure, the pressure of continuing our winning streak was huge, you could not image," Beijing's coach Min Lulei said at the press conference after the game.
"There is not a single vulnerable team in this league, you should spare all of your efforts to confront them," Min said.
Yao Ming retires while Chinese basketball keeps moving
BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The year of 2011 is remarkable for Chinese basketball as the past 12 months witnessed not only the retirement of superstar Yao Ming, but also the continuous development of the sport in China since the flag-bearer stepped out.
The date of July 20, 2011 has been inked in the history book of the Chinese basketball as the Houston Rockets center Yao Ming announced his retirement from professional career in his hometown of Shanghai.
Five days later, the Chinese pivot announced retirement from the national team in Beijing, concluding his playing career at the age of 30 years and 10 months old.
The news hit headlines of most Chinese media and fans all over the world sent their wishes to Yao on the website.
The national team retired Yao's jersey, the first time for a Chinese basketball player to receive such honor.
Yao is quite a rare example of a successful Chinese athlete without spectacular title or medal achievements. He led China to the quarterfinals twice at the Olympic Games (2004 and 2008) and finished 12th at the World Championships in 2002. His best mark in the NBA was a second-round finish in the playoffs in 2008-2009 season.
Although Yao had never won an Olympic medal or the championship of the National Basketball Association (NBA), praises and compliments were still piled up for him on his retirement as Yao's success is beyond the basketball court.
Yao was known by the world when he was selected as the No.1 pick by the Rockets in 2002, and was loved as a new idol by fans around the world for his diligence, determination and passion in basketball.
As a basketball icon, Yao led Chinese basketball to the center stage of the sports field, making basketball one of the most watched and popular sports in China.
However, when some were still regretting for Yao's decision to retire, his former national teammates had already satisfied the fans desire.
Two months after Yao left, China's men's and women's basketball teams both qualified for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The Chinese girls beat South Korea 65-62 to win the title of the Asian Women's Basketball Championships in Japan on Aug. 28 to clinch the only automatically qualification berth for the finals in London.
The men's team survived a 70-69 final against Jordan to reclaim the continental title for the first time in six years in Wuhan on Sept. 25, also notching the ticket to London.
The domestic league of Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) raised its curtain for the 16th season in November and hit a series of records of audiences, TV viewers and sponsors.
An unofficial release from Infront Ltd., CBA's promoting company, showed the TV viewers of 86 matches of the past 11 rounds had surpassed the whole number of last season. The CBA said audiences rate rose from 75 percent last season to the current 85.
Yao's stepping out has not hindered the development of the game in China. Instead, China's basketball is moving forward for a brighter future.
Liaoning's Guo Shiqing becomes third CBA coach to be sacked
BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Guo Shiqiang, head coach of Liaoning, was sacked on Saturday, becoming the third coach in five days to lose his job in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league.
Guo's assistant Li Ge will take charge of the first team, the club said.
Former Chinese international Guo, who took over as the Liaoning head coach in June 2006, led the team to runners-up in 2008 but his team slumped to the 12th place in 2009 and have never found their best form since.
Liaoning are ninth in the season with seven wins and seven defeats after eding out Shanxi 120-117 away Friday night.
Jiangsu coach Xu Qiang resigned on Monday for health reasons and American Robert Donewald Jr. was replaced by veteran coach Xiang Xingquan on the same day.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Liu Xiang, Sun Yang lead China to London
With the retirement of basketball legend Yao Ming, who led the Chinese sports delegation to the 2008 Olympic opening ceremony, Liu Xiang and Sun Yang will spearhead the Chinese athletes next year in London in pursuit of another golden harvest.
Struggling hard in the last three years to recover from the foot injury that dragged him off the field in a full packed Bird's Nest at the Beijing Games, star hurdler Liu Xiang is widely expected to repeat his title-winning feat in Athens Games in 2004, but senior sports official said that a medal of any color would be satisfactory.
"I think Liu is much more mature. He has recovered well from injury and has maintained good form this season," said Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) president Duan Shijie.
"I am convinced that he will achieve good results if he has a normal race. I think everybody will be satisfied whatever medal - gold, silver or bronze - he wins because he has spared no efforts in his sport."
The 28-year-old Liu, a former world record holder in the men's 110m hurdles, became China's most famous athlete after winning gold at the 2004 Olympic Games and 2007 Osaka World Championships.
But he winced in pain and limped off the track during the men's 110m hurdles first heat at the Beijing Games, leaving the 60,000-plus spectators at the Bird's Nest stadium and millions of TV audience in shock.
Three years after his sudden withdrawal with the Achilles injury, Liu regained honor after dramatically taking silver at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu this August.
Disrupted by Dayron Robles of Cuba running next lane at the last hurdles, Liu claimed a silver in 13.27, but he had already proved his competitiveness for London.
"I have been through two Olympic Games. It will be just another competition," said Liu Xiang. "I will try to get myself into good shape and we will see what happens."
Liu Xiang will not be the only hope for Chinese track and field team in London. Newly crowned world champion Li Yanfeng in the women's discus, hammer thrower Zhang Wenxiu and a bunch of young walk racers will share Liu's burden in charging for medals in London.
Also in the limelight is double world champion and men's 1,500m freestyle swimming world record holder Sun Yang, who is set to be another Chinese star in focus next summer in London.
"I can still swim better in the 1,500m freestyle next year. My coach has set me a new target, but it's not the right time to release it now," said Sun, who will be a strong competitor in the men's 400m and 1,500m freestyle swimming at the London Games.
The Chinese swimmers reaped five golds, two silvers and seven bronzes at the Shanghai World Championships in July, harvesting their best results since 1994. Next year in London, it will not be surprising if they surpass their one-gold finish at the Beijing Games.
Three years ago in Beijing, athletes from gymnastics, weightlifting, diving, shooting, table tennis, badminton and judo contributed 39 out of 51 gold medals of the hosts. Looking ahead to London, these sports will continue to contribute medals to the Chinese delegation, but it will be difficult for them to maintain the dominance they showed on home soil.
For example, the Chinese gymnasts, who had snatched amazing nine golds at the Beijing Games, slipped to four golds, five silvers and three bronzes at this year's World Championships in Japan.
"The competition of the London Games will be really tough. We are going to face stiff challenge," said head coach Huang Yubin.
In weightlifting and Judo, Chinese also need to work really hard to gain as many as acquired in Beijing, while the teams of diving, shooting, table tennis and badminton are as powerful as ever.
"Generally speaking, we have maintained our advantage in the sports that Chinese athletes traditionally excel in, but there is no much room for them to improve or win more gold medals in these sports," said Cai Jiadong, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC).
Chinese athletes also won a handful of gold medals in archery, rowing, canoeing, wrestling three years ago at home, but their competitiveness in these sports has slid.
"We know that we will meet tough challenge next year in London, but we will try our best to keep China in the leading positions on the overall medal list," Cai added.
For Chinese ball teams, the road to London is not smooth. With early elimination of the soccer teams, the nation's only medal hope in team ball sports will be shouldered by their women's volleyball team, which won the bronze medal in Beijing three years ago.
Following lackluster performance in last year's World Championships and a disappointing bottom eighth finish at this year's World Grand Prix Finals in Macao, the Chinese women's volleyball team, led by new head coach Yu Juemin, surprisingly rebounded to win the title at the Asian Championships and the bronze medal at the World Cup in Japan.
"I strongly believe they will have a big chance to win a medal next year in London," said former head coach Chen Zhonghe, who guided China to back-to-back titles at the World Cup in 2003 and the Athens Games in 2004.
Without Yao Ming, is it possible for the Chinese men's basketball team to repeat their consecutive top eight finishes in Athens and Beijing?
It seems to be a Mission Impossible.
Robert Donewald Jr has just been sacked as head coach of Chinese Basketball Association's (CBA) Xinjiang Guanghui club. It's bad news for the American, but now he can focus on the Chinese national team and work out a plan to make them more competitive than when they sluggishly won the Asian Championships in Wuhan, China this summer.
Power forward Yi Jianlian, who is still struggling to keep his position in an NBA team, and former NBA player Wang Zhizhi, will lead the Chinese offense in the absence of Yao, but they obviously need more support from their teammates.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Fujian ends Guangdong's winning streak
Fujian SBS led all the way for a 90-85 upset against defending champion Guangdong Hongyuan Wednesday in a 14th-round match of the Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA) at home.
Moaning at the 13th placing with a 5-8 record, Fujian need a victory to recover confidence. The defending champion Guangdong was on a seven-game winning streak before the match.
The home team went all out from the very beginning of the match to take a 13-1 lead before Guangdong closed it by seven points at the end of the first quarter.
Guangdong looked not concentrated on the match as they let Fujian run away by 37-22 in the second quarter. Another 12-0 run in the third quarter gave Fujian double-digit number lead again when Guangdong closed it by seven points.
Guangdong tried everything in the decisive period to cut the lead by two points, 87-85 in the final minute. Fujian hung on with three free-throws to nail down the win.
William McDonald had 20 points for Fujian, while Zaid Abbas had 17 points and 14 rebounds.
James Singleton had 20 points and 15 rebounds for Guangdong.
Beijing Ducks extended the winning streak to 13 games as it used a fourth-quarter surge-up to beat Shandong Gold 86-79 at home.
Trailing 68-62 to enter the last quarter, Zhu Yanxi made the first three-pointer for Beijing to initiate a 17-2 run to usurp the lead by 77-70.
Beijing missed all the 17 three-pointer attempts in the first three quarters before they shot half of the six ones in the final 12 minutes.
Randolph Morris scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Beijing with Stephon Marbury adding 17, Chen Lei 16.
Shandong's Tegba Hunter had 29 points and 12 rebounds. Alan Anderson contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Jiang Xingquan replaced national coach Robert Donewald Jr. to lead Xinjiang Guanghui to a 98-96 win over Liaoning Hengye.
Guard Yang Ming made all his six shots to score 17 points in the first quarter to open the game for the visiting Liaoning.
But the away team failed to continue the attacking power in the fourth quarter to let Xinjiang turn a 11-point deficit to a two-point winning game.
Kenyon Martin had another dismal game with 13 points and his future in Xinjiang is in doubt.
In other matches, Jiangsu Dragons lost the 10th game as being beaten by Foshan Long Lions 111-106 at home. Zhejiang Guangsha defeated Bayi Fubang 96-90, Shanxi Zhongyu beat Jilin Northeast Tigers 115-107 while Tianjin Ronggang beat Qingdao Doublestar 89-78.
In Tuesday's earlier match, Zhejiang Chouzhou defeated Shanghai Sharks 89-86 in overtime.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Top China football referee admits taking bribes
BEIJING — A top Chinese referee confessed in court on Wednesday to taking bribes for fixing local matches, state media said, amid a series of high-profile corruption hearings involving top football officials.
Lu Jun, who has refereed matches at the World Cup and Olympic Games, told a court in northeastern China that he pocketed 810,000 yuan ($127,786) for fixing seven domestic league games, the official Xinhua news agency said.
The games included four first-division matches in 2003.
The report did not say if Lu, nicknamed the "Golden Whistle" by Chinese media because of his successful international career, had been accused of fixing World Cup or Olympic Games matches.
Shanghai Shenhua club -- which recently signed a two-year contract with Chelsea star Nicolas Anelka -- was also accused of spending 5.5 million yuan to bribe numerous officials and referees, including Lu, the report said.
Corruption hearings against some of China's top football officials kicked off Monday with Zhang Jianqiang, the former head referee of the Super League, making a court appearance to face charges of accepting match-fixing bribes totalling $409,600.
The latest admission comes after well-known referee Huang Junjie confessed on Tuesday to taking more than $246,000 in bribes for fixing local and international matches between 2005 and 2009, according to Xinhua.
About 20 other former officials and referees are to appear in court later this week.
Chinese state media on Wednesday called for harsh punishments to be meted out to those officials found guilty of corruption, which they described as a "cancer" in the sport.
The hearings are part of a crackdown on corruption that have reached the top echelons of the game in China.
It led to the downfall of the head of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), Nan Yong, who was charged last year with fixing matches and accepting bribes.
Such allegations and poor performances by the national team made the sport the laughing stock of increasingly indifferent fans, and a matter of state concern.
According to state media, CFA officials routinely fixed matches, including national team and league games, by allegedly buying off the teams or referees involved.
Association officials also reportedly accepted pay-offs from players who wanted to be selected in the national team -- a practice also widespread among league clubs.
"China's football has become the hotbed of illegal benefits," an editorial in the People's Daily, the Communist Party's print mouthpiece, said.
It added the trials were a "wake up call" for football officials and called for "the eradication of the cancer in order to allow the regrowth of fresh muscle".
Chinese Sports Minister Liu Peng said the government would launch an "education revamp for all officials" in football and emphasise "self-discipline" and "clean governance", according to Xinhua news agency.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Marbury makes the difference for Beijing Ducks
BEIJING, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Jumping from last season's eighth to the top of the standings of the Chinese Basketball Associational League, every Beijing Ducks fan knows that Stephon Marbury has made the difference.
The Beijing side made history on Sunday after extending their winning streak to 12 games with a 105-97 win over Qingdao DoubleStar.
Nicknamed "Starbury," the 34-year-old New-York-born point guard, shone as always by contributing 28 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
Marbury, who used to play with Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics in his 13-year NBA career, moved to China in January 2010 and joined Beijing Ducks, his third team in China, four weeks before the season started.
With his extraordinary leadership in the court and easy-going personality behind the spotlight, he has earned praise from not only teammates, coaches, but also millions of Chinese fans.
Beijing Ducks head coach Min Lulei was more than happy when he commented on Marbury's first match with 29 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, "Marbury is the one that I am always eager to find."
Marbury also helped his young teammates a lot in training and competitions. Zhai Xiaochuan and Zhu Yanxi, both rookies in CBA, played exceptionally well with great confidence after being coached by Marbury.
"That was an All Star move. He's going to be one of the best players in China in the coming years," Mabury commented on Zhai Xiaochuan's amazing slamdunk.
In NBA, Mabury was considered a lone wolf because he always enjoyed individualistic heroism and ignored the strategies of the whole team on the court. He was also a trouble maker off court with his drunk drive and smoking marijuana.
In Beijing Ducks, however, Mabury transformed into a team player and a true leader. Now he's in charge of organizing the team and is more willing to pass balls to other teammates.
Former Denver Nuggets star J.R. Smith, who played for China's Zhejiang Chouzhou, also expressed his appreciation for Marbury after his team lost to Beijing Ducks.
"I take my hat off to Stephon Marbury. Great game! Great leadership!" Smith said.
Now, Beijng fans always cheered loudest for their hero Marbury.
Mabury has its own slogan "love is love," which always appears in his microblog, articles and interviews. He explained, "love is the key to all things in life. If you give love, you will receive it. Love is love!"
Mabury attributes the success of the team to all the fans. He said, "This excellent beginning would have been nearly impossible if it were not for the help of our sixth man - the Beijing fans. They have given us a great deal of confidence because we feed off their energy and support."
Beijing Ducks fans love Mabury because they find the New York has become part of the city. The New Yorker takes the subway to training no matter how crowded it is. He just enjoyed the intimate feeling with Beijingers in the subway. He also goes to cheer for Beijing Guoan Football Club, wearing Guoan's special shirt.
"People in the United States keep asking me if I'm going back to NBA. I keep telling them I don't have a desire to play in the NBA," Marbury said on his microblog, the Chinese version of Twitter. "The CBA is my home and what I love. I'm letting everyone know on my page now that I will be retiring in China. I want to hang my jersey up here."
Many fans were touched by Marbury's sentiment towards China. Some Chinese netizens even compared him with Dr. Norman Bethune of Canada, best known for his service in China's war against Japan with the Communist Eighth Route Army.
Marbury is also dreaming of coaching Chinese men's basketball team to play in the Olympics. "That will be the highlight of my life," he said.
Now Marbury has started his exclusive weekly column in China Daily, called Starbury Daily. He takes advantage of this platform and his microblog to keep connected with Chinese fans. Now he has over 170,000 fans of his Sina weibo, one of the most popular microblog websites in China.
After 12 consecutive wins, Marbury and the Beijing Ducks have their eyes on the CBA championships.
"History in Beijing has been written. We have to take it one game at a time in order to continue playing Beijing style basketball," Marbury wrote on his microblog.
Monday, December 19, 2011
China starts football corruption trials
BEIJING — The former head referee of China's football Super League went on trial on Monday on charges of bribe-taking, kicking off a series of corruption hearings involving top officials.
A handcuffed Zhang Jianqiang appeared in court in the eastern city of Dandong charged with accepting match-fixing bribes totalling 2.6 million yuan ($409,600), state television showed.
He is the first senior official to go on trial after a crackdown on corruption that reached the top echelons of the game, and led to the downfall of the head of the Chinese Football Association (CFA).
Gambling, match-fixing, crooked referees and poor performances by the national team made the sport the laughing stock of increasingly indifferent fans, and a matter of state concern.
According to state media, CFA officials routinely fixed matches, including national team and league games, by allegedly buying off the teams or referees involved.
The suspect CFA officials also reportedly accepted pay-offs from players wanting to be named to the national team -- a practice that was also widespread among league clubs.
Sponsors abandoned the sport, and state television network CCTV refused to broadcast Super League games.
More than 20 former football officials and referees including former CFA vice head Yang Yimin and Lu Jun, a Chinese referee who officiated at 2002 World Cup, will go on trial this week, the state Xinhua news agency said.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
"Super Dan" completes super "Grand Slam" as Denmark denies China's clean-sweep at BWF Finals
LIUZHOU, Guangxi, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's "Super Dan" Lin Dan completed his super "Grand Slam" after beating Chen Long in the final at the BWF World Superseries Finals here on Sunday.
Meanwhile, defending champions Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen of Denmark denied China's clean-sweep by defeating Chinese young pair Chai Biao and Guo Zhendong in straight sets in the men's doubles.
Lin Dan, arguably the best shuttler in the world, has won four world titles, and is also the reigning Olympic and Asian Games champion as well as the Asian championships gold medalist.
However, he had never participated in the Finals before. This time in Liuzhou, a southern Chinese city, he finally completed his collection of trophies.
The 29-year-old southpaw met little challenge from his teammate Chen, who stunned world No.1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in Saturday's semifinals, before wining the final 21-12, 21-16.
"In fact, I didn't care too much about the results. The important thing is Chinese team secured the men's singles gold medal after the semifinals," said Lin, who won all five matches in the year-ending elite tournament.
In women's singles, newly-crowned world champion Wang Yihan of China came from behind to defeat India's Saina Nehwal, India, 18-21, 21-13, 21-13 and capped a brilliant year with the World Superseries Finals title.
It wasn't until May that Wang won her first tournament -- the Malaysia Open Grand Prix -- in 2011, but she found back the rhythm in the second half of the year as she won the world championships and the Asian championships titles.
"My dream is to win the gold medal in next year's Olympics," said the 23-year-old Wang.
In men's doubles, Boe and Mogensen saved six set points in a row to take the first set 25-23, and continued their momentum in the second set to conclude the match against Chai and Guo 21-7.
"When we led 20-17 in the first set, they (Boe and Mogensen) made some changes in service while we were too eager to win the set. After losing the first set, we lost the rhythm," said Chai.
BWF Players of the Year Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli were too good for South Korean pair Ha Jung Eun and Kim Min Jung, winning in straight sets 21-8, 21-12 in just 33 minutes.
The Chinese pair have made 13 consecutive finals appearances with seven Superseries titles to their name in 2011.
"To be honest, we are the pair to beat in women's doubles nowadays. The biggest opponents for us are ourselves as injuries and downturns troubled us sometimes in the season," said Yu.
In mixed doubles, world No. 1 Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei, who defeated their teammates Xu Chen and Ma Jin in three sets in the group stage, did it again as they won the final 21-13, 21-15.
Beijing, Guangdong extend winning streak
BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- League leaders Beijing Ducks and defending champions Guangdong Hongyuan maintained their winning run in the 13th round of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league on Sunday.
Playing at home after four consecutive away games, Beijing defeated Qingdao Double Star 105-97 to improve to a perfect 12-0 record. Beijing is the only unbeaten side in the 17-team CBA since the new season kicked off a month ago.
Beijing guard Stephon Marbury, supported by his wife and two children in the Shougang stadium, harvested 28 points and dished out game-high 7 assists. Center Randolph Morris added points. Local rising star Zhai Xiaochuan had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Qingdao turned out to be the more hot-handed game by establishing an 8-2 lead at the very beginning of the game. Beijing shooters got in shape quickly afterwards, delivering a 15-7 run to grab the advantage.
Neither team could have a complete control on court until Beijing made a 13-2 spurt to end the first half 54-44.
Beijing kept widening the gap in the third, and after Mabury knocked down a free throw, the home team led as many as 20 points.
But Qingdao refused to surrender, trimming the gap to seven points in the fourth quarter. Beijing then managed to fend off the visitors' late charge and clinched the victory.
Lester Hudson, top scorer of CBA this season, paced Qingdao with 31 points. Olumide Oyedeji and Li Gen scored 22 and 14 points respectively.
Reigning champions Guangdong rejuvenated after a slow start to the season by winning their seventh straight game, a 128-104 win over Dongguan Marco Polo.
Guangdong guard Aaron Brooks had 27 points and 10 assists. James Singleton added 24 points and 10 rebounds. Local stars Wang Shipeng and Zhu Fangyu tallied 18 points respectively.
Dongguan's Joshua Akognon shot down game-high 34 points.
In Sunday's other games, Shanghai Sharks beat Bayi Fubang 94-85, Zhejiang Chouzhou beat Foshan Long Lions 103-96, Zhejiang Guangsha beat Shanxi Zhongyu 126-112, Liaoning Hengye beat Fujian SBS 108-94, Shandong Gold beat Jiangsu Dragons 99-91, Xinjiang Guanghui beat Jilin Northeast Tigers 94-89.
Chen Long sets up all-China final, ousting Lee
Chen Long overcame world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia on Saturday to set up an all-Chinese men's singles final against teammate Lin Dan at the BWF World Superseries Finals, as the hosts have already secured two titles after Saturday's semifinals.
The mixed doubles final will also be contested between two Chinese players, after Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei defeated Shintaro Ikeda/Reiko Shiota of Japan 21-17, 21-11 and Xu Chen/Ma Jin swept past Joachim Fischer Nielsen / Christina Pedersen of Denmark 21-19, 21-14 in the semifinals.
"Super Dan" proved too good for Danish veteran Peter Gade, winning 21-12, 21-15 in just 41 minutes, while Chen demolished Lee's hopes of claiming his fourth consecutive Finals title with a 21-16, 16-21, 21-18 victory.
It was the third time that Chen beat Lee this season following triumph at the Japan Open and Denmark Open.
"Lee is the No. 1, so playing with him I felt less pressure than him," said the 22-year-old Chen.
In the women's singles, China's newly-crowned world champion Wang Yihan outclassed compatriot Wang Xin 21-19, 21-16 to reach the final.
In Friday's final group B match, Saina Nehwal of India upset Wang Xin in straight sets to finish ahead of the Chinese, while Wang Yihan topped group A by virtue of winning more sets than Danish Tine Baun. Therefore two Wangs had to face each other in the semifinals.
Wang Yihan said she didn't want to meet Wang Xin in the semifinals. "If Wang Xin had won yesterday, the clash between us could have been avoided, which means we both have an opportunity to enter the final," she said.
Wang Yihan will take on Nehwal in the final. The Indian top player, who has been struggling with poor form this year, snapped her three-match losing streak against Baun with a 21-17, 21-18 win.
World No. 7 Chai Biao and Guo Zhendong kept China's title hope alive in men's doubles after the country's top pair Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng were knocked out in the group stage, as they stood with the pressure to squeeze past South Korea's Jung Jae Sung and Lee Yong Dae 21-17, 21-18.
BWF female World Player of the year Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli eased into the women's doubles final after teammates Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei retired.
Yu and Wang face South Korean pair Ha Jung Eun and Kim Min Jung, who beat Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark 23-21, 21-18.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Top ski grounds in China
Xinjiang's Silkroad Ski Resort
There is nothing more pleasant than gliding down a slope surrounded by natural forest. While in big cities it is impossible for skiers to have this intimate experience with nature, in the open spaces of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region you can be as close to nature as you want.
The Silkroad Ski Resort is located within the Nanshan National Forest Park, some 38 kilometers from Urumuqi city. Capable of hosting ten thousand visitors at a time, the ski resort has trails catering to different levels of skiers from children and beginners to professionals. The resort also has instructors and a section specially designed for snowboarding.
However, what makes the resort stand out from the rest is its magnificent mountain views. The resort has a sightseeing cable car that climbs to the peak at 2280 meters altitude. Long distance visitors can also stay the night at the resort's wood cabins and try some Xinjiang delicacies at its restaurant.
The Silkroad Ski Resort opens from early November to the beginning of May the next year.
Beijing's Snow World Ski Resort
Only 20 kilometres from downtown Beijing, the Snow World Ski Resort is popular with people who want to take it easy. The resort has three trails designed for beginners and a 380 metre snowboard lane. Even the intermediate level trails are gently curved to meet the needs of amateur skiers.
For visitors who are looking for a different kind of challenge, the resort offers a race lane for snow mobiles. And child customers can throw snowballs or make snowmen in a separate section. If you want to escape the crowd during the day, the resort also operates at night.
Snow World Ski Resort is close to hot spring resorts in Changping district. It is strongly recommended that skiers relax into a hot spring after a busy day on the slopes.
Jilin's Changbai Mountain West Slope Ski Resort
The Changbai Mountain West Slope Ski Resort is said to be the largest natural ski resort in Asia. The resort is so large that visitors can enjoy different sceneries resulting from changing vegetation zones on the mountain, ranging from 1700 to 2500 metres. The resort is known for its high quality natural snow which is thickest and best between December and February.
In addition to having a wide variety of trails, the resort also takes advantage of its forest scenery with entertaining programs such as dog-pulled sled rides and snow mobiles. But the most popular attraction is collection of steamy hot springs scattered around the resort which serve as a perfect ending to a day filled with snow.
There are several newly opened holiday resorts close to the ski ground, all equipped with indoor hot springs. And do not miss the local food specialties using wild mountain game.
Harbin's Yabuli Ski Resort
The Yabuli Ski Resort is China's most comprehensive ski resort. It is the competition venue for many international sports events including the Winter Universiade and the Asia Winter Games.
The resort is conveniently connected to Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province, by highway and rail. Due to its northern location, the resort remains open about 150 days every year. The resort used to be the hunting ground for imperial families in the Qing dynasty. Because of Harbin's close communication with neighboring Russian cities, the resort has a healthy selection of Russian entertainment programs in its hotels and restaurants.
Harbin's Yabuli Ski Resort is a US-China joint venture and a lot of its equipment has been imported to guarantee its quality and ability to meet international standards. The resort also serves as a training base for China's winter sports athletes.
Source: CRI via china.org.cn
Friday, December 16, 2011
Li and Liu headline awards nominees
BEIJING - Chinese sports superstars Li Na and Liu Xiang lead the 2011CCTV Sports Personality of the Year awards' list, which was announced on Thursday.
French Open tennis champion Li, who claimed China's first Grand Slam championship, is among five candidates for Female Athlete of the Year. The other four are all world champions: Jiao Liuyang (women's 200m butterfly, swimming), Li Yanfeng (women's discus), Wu Minxia (diving) and Deng Ning (table tennis, women's singles).
On the men's side, star hurdler Liu was nominated due to his strong comeback showing at the Athletics World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, where he claimed the silver medal after being hampered by a foot injury for almost three years.
The other four male nominees are Lin Dan (badminton), Chen Yibing (gymnastics), Sun Yang (swimming) and Zhang Jike (table tennis).
In other categories, newly-crowned women's 500m short track speed skating world champion Fan Kexin and young weightlifting world champion Tian Yuan lead the Newcomer of the Year nominees.
For the Best Team award, China's diving squad, badminton side, men's table tennis and gymnastics teams and women's volleyball side are the candidates.
The coaches of these team - except diving - are also candidates for Coach of the Year.
Two-time chess world champion Hou Yifan and China's snooker ace, Ding Junhui, are among the leading nominees in non-Olympic sports.
Regarded as China's "Sports Oscars", the awards honor the most outstanding groups and individuals each year.
This year's awards, the 11th edition of the event, have 11 categories, including Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, Team of the Year, Coach of the Year and Non-Olympic Athlete of the Year.
The nominees' list, which features five candidates in each category, is voted for by 268 judges from the media.
The winners will be announced on Jan 15.
Tigana to sign for Shenhua, Okada for Hangzhou
Former French international Jean Tigana will land in Shanghai tomorrow to put the finishing touches to a deal which will see him manage Shanghai Shenhua.
Tigana, who has managed in France, England and Turkey, quit as coach of Bordeaux earlier this year, and is now expected to steer the Chinese side which earlier this week announced the signing of Chelsea's French striker Nicola Anelka.
"Jean Tigana will arrive in Shanghai ... and we will have final talks with him on the details of his contract," club spokesman Ma Yue said yesterday.
"His coaching contract will be for one year because that was what he had proposed during initial talks.
"If the results on the field are good, we will be talking about an extension. He will bring in his own coaching team for this assignment."
Ma said he did not anticipate there being any problems or barriers to Tigana signing up, and that he was expected to be formally announced on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Takeshi Okada, who took Japan to the knockout stages of last year's FIFA World Cup in South Africa, was in Hangzhou yesterday to sign for the CSL side Hangzhou Greentown.
The club revealed the signing of Okada, who was pictured on its microblog smiling and holding a shirt with the number 99.
"We are busy now as Takeshi Okada is in Hangzhou now. The contract has been signed this morning. There will be a press conference on December 24," an official said.
Okada reportedly turned down an offer from one of Japan's biggest clubs, Urawa Reds, to take up the job Hangzhou. He is expected to bring Japanese midfielder Yasuhito Endo from Gamba Osaka and Omiya Ardija's star Brazilian Rafael with him.
Soccer officials to stand trial next Monday
The long-awaited trial into soccer corruption will finally kick off next week as a line-up of officials will take the stand, the Yangtze Evening Post reports.
Yang Yimin, ex-deputy director of the Chinese Football Administrative Center, and ex-Chinese Football Association (CFA) referee heads Zhang Jianqiang will reportedly face trial on Monday in the Intermediate People's Court in Tieling city, Northeast China's Liaoning province, along with scores of leading club officials, former players, coaches and referees.
The date for a court hearing against former CFA vice-president Nan Yong, who was arrested in March 2010, and Nan's predecessor Xie Yalong, has still not been set.
The two senior football chiefs will stand trial with former national team manager Wei Shaohui in the Intermediate People's Court of Dandong, a border city in Liaoning, according to the Nanjing-based newspaper.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Guangdong ends Liaoning's unbeaten home record
Defending champions Guangdong Hongyuan clinched a big win 106-87 over Liaoning Hengye in 11th round of Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league on Wednesday, ending the opponent's unbeaten home run.
Led by former NBA Houston Rockets star Aaron Brooks, Guangdong overcame a 0-4 start to usurp the lead at 30-21 in the first quarter.
Liaoning tied it 34-34 by substitute center Han Dejun's flying slam dunk with 5:50 left at the break and both were level at 47-47 into the third period, in which Guangdong enjoyed a 29-20 lead and extended the margin to nearly 20 points in the halfway of the last quarter.
Brooks, who buried 4 out of 7 three pointers, led the team with 21 points and 10 assists. NBA championship ring owner Joshua Powell had a game-high 25 points and 8 rebounds for Liaoning.
Guangdong dominated in the paint with more center choices, outclassing Liaoning 47-35 in rebounds and they had 10 steals against Liaoning's 4.
Qingdao Doublestars came back from behind with a strong attacking surge to edge Zhejiang Chouzhou 100-99.
Lester Hudson, who grabbed 34 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, hit the 2.9 seconds remaining buzzer-beater. J.R. Smith had a game-high 39 points but didn't get an on-road win.
In other matches, Shanxi Zhongyu beat Foshan Long Lions 108-100, Shanghai Sharks beat Xinjiang Guanghui 88-84, Shandong Gold beat Bayi Fubang 112-87, Zhejiang Guangsha bt Fujian SBS 70-56, Jilin Northeast Tigers beat Dongguan Marco Polo 104-100, Jiangsu Dragons beat Tianjin Ronggang 107-104.
Officials defend care of dead fighter
BEIJING-Officials from China's sports authority said the death of domestic athlete Shangguan Pengfei was not a result of untimely treatment or defective management by the industry, during a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.
Shangguan, who went into a coma after being knocked out by a blow to the back of his head during the semifinals of the national free combat championship held in Haikou, Hainan province, on Oct 31, died on Monday at the age of 23.
According to Chinese media, Shangguan's family had asked he be transferred to a better hospital when he became stable in mid-November, but staff from the organizing committee refused to pay for medical expenses outside of Haikou.
Shangguan's situation wasn't exposed until his girlfriend called for help on her micro-blog on Dec 3.
Free combat, or wushu, is a full-contact martial art. It was an exhibition sport at the Beijing Olympics.
Gao Xiaojun, chief of the sport's administrative center, said the organization of the game was up to standards and Shangguan received timely care after the accident.
"We made timely and effective arrangements after the athlete got injured. Without adequate preparation and measures, it would've been impossible to send the athlete to the hospital within six minutes," Gao said. "The boy has fought with death for more than 40 days, which is a miracle created with the effort of all aspects.
"Our colleagues were alongside the athletes' relatives 24 hours a day, and there was no problem with the medical fee. We have met all the requirements of his family," Gao said. "It's a pity that we finally failed to save the young life, but we have a clear conscience for what we have done.
"Shangguan's death is the first time (an athlete died) in free combat matches in more than 30 years. It's an accident, but we will learn from it to avoid another occurrence of the tragedy," he said.
It was also reported Shangguan had been knocked out in the months before the event and shouldn't have been eligible to join the tournament in Haikou. According to international regulations, athletes knocked out by opponents are not allowed to fight again for three to six months.
Zhao Jun of the Henan Sports Bureau said Shangguan hadn't been knocked out or knocked down in any matches or trainings for at least a year. He said Shangguan's family will be paid 300,000 yuan ($47,000), and will receive other compensation, but didn't specify how much.
Shangguan's death put free combat athletes at the center of public attention.
Zhang Tiequan, the first Chinese to join the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) , once told the Bandao Morning Post that athletes would receive careful examination before international matches, including tests of their heart, lung and eyes, a urinalysis, a blood test and an electrocardiogram. Athletes in China only receive an electrocardiogram and an electroencephalogram.
The paper also reported that the first aid system in China was not adequate.
According to the newspaper, each tournament should be prepared with at least two ambulances and four doctors, but most domestic tournaments only have one or two doctors.
Moreover, the paper said most of the athletes don't know how much insurance the organizer has paid for.
China International Sports Culture Expo opens in Beijing
With the blessing of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games organizing committee president Liu Peng, China kicked off its first-ever International Sports Culture Expo in Beijing Thursday at the city's International Convention Center.
Featuring four distinct zones, the expo presents networking opportunities for professionals, gives visitors a chance to learn more about China's sports industry, and delights crowds with performances and interactive sports activities.
The "Sports Culture Display Area" featured booths from many of China's provincial sports bureaus and major sports associations, such as the Chinese Football Association. Beijing Sports Radio FM 102.5 broadcasted live from a special pod-shaped booth, its DJs clad in hip Adidas wear.
An "Extreme Sports Culture Zone" wowed visitors with break dancers, skateboarders, and BMX bikers performing to hip-hop beats. In the "Outdoor Sports Culture Experience Zone," attendees flocked to try out interactive games, such as a video exercise game, a video golf simulator, and the latest in exercise equipment from a variety of domestic and international vendors.
According to Pico, co-organizer for the Expo, the four-day event, lasting until Dec. 18, will feature a cheerleading competition, shuttlecock contest, as well as dance and aerobics exhibitions. Chinese sports celebrities will also sign autographs for fans on-site at Saturday Dec. 17. The event is sponsored by China State General Administration of Sports.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Column: Is China the new Klondike of football?
PARIS (AP)—With more than 100 billionaires and counting, it was only a matter of time before China’s financial muscle started making dents on world football, following in the designer-clad footsteps of moguls from the Middle East and Russia.
This, after all, is a sport happy to be a plaything for those with money to burn, with players who don’t give two hoots if their paycheck is signed by an Abramovich, an Al Thani or a Wang—just so long as it has lots of zeros on it.
But becoming wealthy enough to buy the twilight years of a fading star like Nicolas Anelka, who is moving from Chelsea in the English Premier League to Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League, is not the same thing as spending wisely on Chinese stars of tomorrow. Anelka will deliver to Shanghai that thing craved by many rich owners in sports—attention.
But such glamor buys, alone, aren’t going to help China unearth an Anelka of its own in decades to come or stop it from being, on a per capita basis, arguably the most underachieving football nation on the planet. The next World Cup in 2014 will take place without China, which again failed to qualify.
Anelka is making Chinese football noticed outside China. But, if being talked about is all that comes of this, then China won’t be much closer to becoming a respected football nation or fielding a homegrown 11 of top-notch players in the foreseeable future.
“This is just the beginning. Every transfer window from now on you will expect to see more 30-plus world stars, or previous world stars, starting to take big salary payments for a couple of years in China,” said Rowan Simons, a Beijing-based expert on football in China and author of “Bamboo Goalposts,” which recounts his efforts to help grassroots football take hold there.
“It’s egos, isn’t it? Egos of very rich men. And football is a very obvious — you see this all over the world—place to splash cash. It’s toys for very rich boys,” Simons said in a phone interview. It’s “massive games going on with huge amounts of money that are linked into politics and the egos of oligarchs while having absolutely zero effect on the health of the game of football in China.”
Forget the $300,000 Anelka will reportedly pocket each week. Don’t dwell on the $10 million that another club, Guangzhou Evergrande, splurged in July to sign Dario Conca from Fluminense, smashing China’s transfer record and making the Argentine reportedly the third-highest paid player in the world. Such sums are like a garage of expensive sports cars—nice to look at but not, ultimately, terribly useful in getting you from A to B when faced with challenging, steep and bumpy terrain.
No, the most eye-grabbing figure from China these days is 7,000. That, says the China Daily, is the number of players aged under 18 that the Chinese Football Association had on its books at the end of last year. Just 7,000, from among 1.3 billion people. In the early 1990s, the total used to be 650,000, the newspaper says. Furthermore, it notes that Japan, with a population one-tenth that of China’s, now has 70 times more registered youth players.
Anelka hasn’t played for France since he was sent home from the 2010 World Cup, in disgrace for telling coach Raymond Domenech in no uncertain terms what he could do with his tactics. At Chelsea, new manager Andre Villas-Boas didn’t appear to have much further use for the 32-year-old striker. But Anelka will be the biggest name Chinese football has ever seen—which, in itself, is a measure of how far behind the sport is there. His renown should lure the curious to Shanghai’s Hongkou Stadium, where Shenhua plays with one-third or two-thirds of the 30,000-odd seats often empty.
Which is all very nice for Anelka and for Zhu Jun, the 45-year-old businessman who bought Shenhua in 2007 having made his fortune in computing and online gaming. But where are the hordes of football-mad youngsters that China will need if it is to become something more than merely the next Klondike for soon-to-be retirees from overseas?
Well, when I was based in China a decade ago and, most recently, traveled there for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, they either seemed to prefer basketball, to watch broadcasts of the English Premier League and other foreign leagues, or were too focused on cramming for exams to play football. Corruption and match-fixing so rampant that bribed referees even had their own nickname— “black whistles”—also turned fans away.
“It’s kind of one of those love affairs where the partner kept on cheating on you and cheating on you and you kept on forgiving them and they kept on cheating on you,” Terry Rhoads, a former Nike executive who runs Zou Marketing, a Shanghai-based sports consultancy focused on the China market, said in a phone interview. “It got to the point where the Chinese soccer fan … is very jaded. They have just been abused in the relationship for 15 years.”
Anelka’s move is another signal that Chinese football is bouncing back, having hit bottom. Rhoads likened money coming from Chinese tycoons as “the beginnings of an arms race” and said he’s advising clients “that Chinese soccer now is a buy.” The government coaxed Wang Jianlin, a real estate tycoon who turned his back on Chinese football a decade ago, to help out this July with a $77 million, 3-year-investment, some of it to sponsor youth leagues and to send young players overseas.
One of Wang’s goals, a yardstick by which he says he will measure whether his company’s money has been well spent, is to get more teenagers playing.
“If China’s soccer population increases to 700,000 or 800,000 in three years, then our cooperation will be successful,” the China Daily quoted him as saying.
Now that, not throwing money at must-have trophy players from overseas, sounds like a goal really worth having.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
