Category: Sports

(Xinhua)13:30, March 20, 2019

Chinese figure skater Jin Boyang takes part in his training session ahead of 2019 ISU World Championships at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, March 18, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Lili)

SAITAMA, Japan, March 20 (Xinhua) — After two days of practice, the 2019 Figure Skating World Championships begins here Wednesday with the pairs short program in the morning, followed by the ladies short program. The mens program is to kick off on Thursday.

A total of 67 skaters from 43 countries and regions have been entered for the Championships. Notable participants include 2018 Winter Olympic champions Alina Zagitova of Russia and Japans Yuzuru Hanyu, as well as 2018 world champions Nathan Chen of the United States and Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron of France.

Chinas 2018 Winter Olympic silver medalists Sui Wenjing/Han Cong will take to the ice in Group 3 in the pairs short program, while Chinas 16-year-old Chen Hongyi will be the first skater in the ladies short program.

In the ladies competition, Olympic champion Zagitova is up against Japans rising star Rika Kihira and Olympic silver medalist Evgenia Medvedeva, also from Russia.

Zagitova came second to Kihira at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating final and was second at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships. Kihira broke through in her debut at the senior level, claiming gold in the final of the ISU Four Continents Championships with a seasons best 233.12 points.

(Xinhua)14:02, March 23, 2019

Russian figure skaterAlina Zagitova in the competition (Photo/Xinhua)

SAITAMA, Japan, March 22 (Xinhua) — Pyeongchang Olympic champion Alina Zagitova of Russia proved she is still the best female figure skater in the world at the 2019 World Championships in Saitama, Japan, here on Friday.

Dancing to the music of Carmen Suite by Rodion Shchedrin, Zagitova delivered a flawless free skate. All her jumps were clean, and her spins and sequences beautiful. She scored 155.42 in free skate, and totaled 237.50 to take the gold medal.

My first thought at the very end of the performance was yes, I did it. She said. I realized that I needed a clean skate and I went into each jump determined landing it. I was very nervous, but I think the experience from the Olympic Games helped me somehow. I felt like at the Olympics, even worse (more nervous) probably. I was very nervous, because this season didnt go so smoothly.

Kazakhstans Elizabeth Tursynbaeva made history that she opened her program with a stunning quad salchow, becoming the first woman to finish a quad jump in senior international competition. The high difficulty jump brought her a silver with a total score of 224.76, 148.80 in free skate.

Of course Im really happy with my silver medal. It was unexpected for me, the first (womens) medal for Kazakhstan, I tried not to think about anything when I was competing, and just focus on my program,said the runner-up.

The late Denis Ten won two mens world medals.

Pyeongchang runner-up Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia came third with 223.80, scoring 149.57 in free skate.

I just wanted to say that its a really incredible feeling that Im here now, said the bronze medallist. It was really so frustrating for me and it was so hard to qualify here, but I made it and Im really proud of our team.

Im proud of myself, but Ill only be happy for a few days then Ill calm down and be ready to work more.

Home favorite Rika Kihira moved up from seventh to fourth. The Grand Prix Final and Four Continents winner fell on a triple Axel, but still got a second highest free skate point, 152.59, only less than Zagitova. She combined 223.49.

The other two Japanese skaters Kaori Sakamoto and Stoke Miyahara took fifth and sixth respectively.

Bradie Tennell of the United States took the seventh, while Russian Sofia Samodurova, European champion this season, was eighth.

Chinas Chen Hongyi took the 19th with 157.59. She fell in her second jump.

I didnt expect it (the fall), said the 16-year-old high school girl. I was frustrated after the fall.

(Xinhua)11:15, March 25, 2019

MEXICO CITY, March 24 (Xinhua) — Diego Maradona says Argentinas current squad of players are undeserving of wearing the Albiceleste shirt, likening the teams 3-1 loss to Venezuela on Friday to a horror film.

It hurts me because I feel Argentinian to the core but compared to past generations that had players like [Oscar] Ruggeri, [Gabriel] Batistuta, [Claudio] Caniggia… the current players dont deserve to wear the shirt, Maradona, who is now the head coach of Mexican second-tier club Dorados, told reporters.

The 58-year-old added: I prefer not to watch horror films but I dont know how the inept bunch who are in charge of Argentina thought they were going to beat Venezuela.

Argentinas defeat to Venezuela in Madrid came despite the return of talisman Lionel Messi to international football following a self-imposed break lasting almost eight months.

The Barcelona forward will miss the Albicelestes next friendly against Morocco in Tangier on Tuesday because of a groin problem.

(Xinhua)14:01, March 25, 2019

QINGDAO, March 25 (Xinhua) — Sun Yang had no smile, no bright-color swim trunk, and there was no cause for celebration.

Wearing a dark blue swim trunk, Sun stormed to victory in 3:43.73, a world best result this season in the 400m freestyle and lifted the first title at these Chinese National Championships, held from March 24 – March 31.

The Chinese Olympic champion stood in mourning for his friend Kenneth To after the victory and urged every competitive swimmer to live a healthy lifestyle.

Kenneth To, who holds 16 records for Hong Kong, China, lost his life at 26 due to a heart problem after he collapsed following a training session in the United States on March 18, 2019.

I was in a shock when I heard that my friend Kenneth had passed away. I couldnt stop my tears. His dream was to swim his best at the Olympic Games. I just wanted to continue his dream, Sun said as he choked up.

Kenneth was a winning relay member with Sun two years ago at the quadrennial Chinese National Games in Tianjin, and also became a close friend with Sun when he trained in Hong Kong.

We just had dinner together last December after we competed in the FINA Short Course World Championships in Hangzhou. I respect him and miss him, Sun said.

Professional athletes are indeed in high-risk occupations, especially competitive swimmers. We are under great pressure in terms of physical and mental challenges, said Sun, 27, who will swim 200, 400, 800 and 1500m freestyle during the eight-day national championships in Qingdao.

I felt sorry that Japanese swimmer Hagino Kosuke stopped training and competition recently. We are both rivals and good friends. I just wish that everyone can live well and healthy. That is the most important thing in life, he said.

I trained very hard this winter but I am not in good shape right now. I just want to challenge myself and take this meet as the rehearsal for the Gwangju World Championships in July. I want to get used to the world-level competition pace as early as possible, said Sun.

(Xinhua)15:12, March 25, 2019

CHANGCHUN, China, March 24 (Xinhua) — Former world junior speed skating champion Han Mei became the biggest winner with three gold and two silver medals at the Chinese Speed Skating National Championships which concluded here on Sunday.

Han who earlier claimed two golds in the womens 3,000m and team sprint, and two silvers in the womens 5,000m and team pursuit, demonstrated her prowess in the womens 1,500m, winning in two minutes and 0.9 seconds. Yin Qi came second in 2:01.17 and Li Dan took the bronze.

My performance is good today, although the result is not quite well compared with that of the best athletes in the world. Its acceptable given my physical condition, Han said.

Competing in five events in four days, Han took it as a stern test to her perseverance and was satisfied with her overall performance.

Im satisfied. I lost focus in the final two laps in the 5,000m race and only got a silver, but Im happy for (winner) Er Ahena Adake. Its good to have a young talent to challenge me in long distance races so that I can be more motivated and we can improve together, the 21-year-old said.

Han told Xinhua that her next goal is to have fruitful results at the 14th Chinese National Winter Games to be held in February, 2020.

I will compete in my second National Winter Games next year and it will be held in my hometown Hohhot. Hopefully I can win several golds, Han said.

In the mens 1,500m race, Alemasi Kahanbai won the title in 1:50.02, after a runner-up finish in the 10,000m event. Wu Yu ranked second by 0.305 seconds and Liu Yiming was third in 1:51.14.

Im not satisfied with what I had. I did not perform to my best form for the championships, Kahanbai said. Compared with some Europeans skaters, we are still far behind so what we can do is to practice day by day and try to qualify for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.

Ma Xinxuan and Fang Huiyan won the mens and womens mass start respectively.

After the Championships, the Chinese speed skaters will have a rest until April when they will start training for the new season.

(China Daily)13:52, March 27, 2019

Ye Shiwen reacts after winning the womens 200m individual medley title at the national swimming championships on Monday in Qingdao, Shandong province. (Photo/Xinhua)

With her legal studies on hold, Olympic champ gets comeback off to great start

Ye Shiwen has spent more time immersed in her legal books than in the pool in recent years, but on Monday the Tsinghua University law student made a convincing case for her future medal chances by winning gold in the womens 200m individual medley at the national swimming championships in Qingdao, Shandong province.

The 23-year-old, who stunned the world by becoming a teenage Olympic champion at London 2012, clocked 2 minutes, 09.24 seconds at the nationals, which serve as a selection event for Julys World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.

As I chose to return to the swimming pool, Im determined to fight my way back to the highest podium, said Ye.

Tonight was just the first step of my journey. I never felt that I was completely cut off from the pool.

Winning the 200m medley was a must for me. Actually, I didnt hit the target I set for myself. I planned to finish the race within 2:08.00, but I caught a cold before the event. It wasnt ideal and I was exhausted in the final sprint.

But I think I have a mental edge. Ive participated in many major international events, and this event was just a test for me. I believe in myself.

Yes time was the third fastest in the world this year – an astonishing feat considering she only returned to the pool in November after a year of study.

The Hangzhou native shot to prominence by winning the 200m and 400m medley golds as a 16-year-old at the 2012 London Games, where she clocked 2:07.57 in the 200 to set an Asian record that still stands.

Disaster struck four years later at the Rio Olympics, where Ye could only finish eighth in the 200 final and failed to qualify for the 400 final.

That led many observers to question if she was a spent force, but a three-month training camp with the national team in Kunming, Yunnan province, appears to have worked wonders.

Now returning to the pool, I cherish every training, Ye said. Three months of recovery was actually enough for me. During the winter training in Kunming, I tried my best every day.

Confidence is one reason, but the most important factor is training. Everyone can get nervous at big competitions, so what matters most is what youve got from your daily training.

Coach Zhu Zhigen, who masterminded the Kunming training block, is thrilled to see all the hard work pay off here.

This year is so important in terms of preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, said Zhu.

Before that, the strongest swimmers will compete at the Gwangju world championships. Through the aerobic workouts in the plateau region, swimmers could better conserve body strength.

Ye cautioned that hitting the heights of her London 2012 glory days is a huge ask.

I said my goal was to break 2:08.00, and Ill try to achieve it at the world championships, she said.

Im very confident, but my muscles are not the same as when I was 16. The Qingdao event is the first step of this year. I believe I can be better and better.

Ye, who is also giving the 200m breaststroke a shot this week, said: I wont be considering any other strokes at this stage as three are enough for me.

(China Daily)09:37, March 28, 2019

Li Na (Photo/Xinhua)

Chinese icon urges up-and-comers to work harder to emulate her success

Over two decades since her debut appearance at Wimbledon, Chinese legend Li Na still remembers her awkward introduction to the iconic London tournament.

Li first competed there in the girls singles in 1998, and was tripped up by the switch from hard courts to grass, not to mention the All England Clubs famous sartorial etiquette.

I had no clue at all on how to play on grass, Li recalled at Tuesdays The Road to Wimbledon junior training camp in Beijing.

I didnt even know I had to wear all white, nor did I prepare a different pair of shoes for the surface. I was overwhelmed, in an embarrassing way.

Li played the final match of her stellar career at Wimbledon 2014 before retiring due to a chronic knee injury two months later.

Now enjoying life as a housewife and businesswoman, the two-time Grand Slam singles champion spares no effort to ensure that Chinas new generation of players are better prepared than she was for life as a pro.

Her passion for the sport remains undiminished and shone through at Tuesdays event at Beijings 1123 Junior Tennis Academy, where the 37-year-old hit shots with some young hopefuls and shared insights about life on the tour.

With more international tournaments visiting the country and strong government support and investment, tennis has entered the athletic mainstream in China, yet the nation still hasnt found anyone to assume Lis throne.

Li, who inspired the boom after winning Asias first major title at the 2011 French Open, warned that increased funding and exposure for the sport does not guarantee Grand Slam champions will follow.

After the US Open (in August), players dont need to travel overseas with tournaments held at home one after another, said Li, who is an ambassador for her hometown Wuhan Open in Hubei province.

However, for the younger players nowadays they are likely to squander the opportunities that we had to fight hard to earn, because everything comes easier and more frequently.

They have to focus on the game itself rather than the exposure or expectations off the court to really improve one event at a time and benefit from the momentum.

When Li turned pro in 1999 China had only two entry-level tournaments. Now the Womens Tennis Association calendar features nine Chinese tournaments, including the premier mandatory China Open in Beijing and year-end WTA Finals in Shenzhen.

Five Chinese women are ranked in the worlds top 50, spearheaded by No 18 Wang Qiang, who this week reached the Miami Open quarterfinals to become the first Chinese to go that far at the premier mandatory event since Lis run to the final in 2014.

Li is delighted to see her compatriots mixing it with the worlds best, but said she expects more.

Its good to have a group of girls in the top 50, but the resources they enjoy today make me believe they could do better, she said.

With more advanced coaching and training methods, WTA CEO Steve Simon reckons China will unearth the next Li sooner rather than later.

The chances of finding the next Li Na are very bright; its just a matter of time, he said earlier this month in Shenzhen.

The return of The Road to Wimbledon, a tailor-made tournament for under-14 players, for its fourth year in China is part of the latest effort to deepen the domestic talent pool.

It began on Monday with a weeklong trial camp overseen by Dan Bloxham, head coach of the All England Club. The best performers will be picked to compete at a national tournament in Nanjing in May, which will decide Chinas representatives at the global final at Wimbledon from Aug 11-17.

Michael Gradon, an All England club board member, hopes the initiative can change the perception of grass court tennis as a realm of prestige and luxury.

By MaChen (Peoples Daily)11:22, March 28, 2019

Rows of Scots pine trees stood out on a mountain that has not turned green in March in Chongli district of Zhangjiakou city, north China鈥檚 Hebei Province.

Zhangjiakou is an important ecological barrier in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Due to the high altitudes, pasturing and human activities, there was not a stable forest ecological system in the past, resulting in water and soil losses and a lack of favorable habitats for animals and plants.

In September 2016, the first batch of trees was planted there under a carbon sink project initiated by the Lao Niu Foundation and China Green Carbon Foundation (CGCF).

The public welfare project, which is aimed at coping with climate change and advocating low-carbon development, was planned and prepared by CGCF and funded by Lao Niu Foundation in the first phase. The project is expected to create a greener environment for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games after its completion.

The core zone of the project is 135 kilometers from Beijing鈥檚 downtown area, and runs along the roads connecting Chongli district, the venue for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games events, Chicheng county, and Huailai county, in Zhangjiakou.

About 2.3 million trees have been planted for the project, mostly are Chinese pine trees and Scots pine trees. Through planting shrubs and grass, the project will help reclaim more than 30,000 mu (about 2,000 hectares) of barren mountains. The trees are expected to absorb about 380,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during the 30-year period of the project.

鈥淥ne Scots pine tree can absorb 165 kilograms of carbon dioxide in 30 years,鈥?said Yang Jianzhong, director of the afforestation station of the bureau of forestry and grassland of Chongli district, adding that the trees could not only help with the recovery of local vegetation and landscapes, absorb carbon dioxide, but also reduce losses of water and soil, contain land degradation, and protect important water sources of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The trees could help increase carbon sinks, said Yang. The forest landscape featuring various layers of trees around the Olympic Forest Park and along Olympic tracks will help improve the ecological environment of the surrounding area of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The trees will also form a corridor for the exchange between species, and promote biodiversity conservation, said Yang, adding that the project and the management of the woods will provide job opportunities for local people and raise farmers鈥?incomes.

Building the forests is not an easy task, as it takes time before an appropriate piece of land for forestation is finally selected, and the planting needs to be carried out in strict accordance with scientific methods.

Besides, the dry weather and lack of rainfall in Zhangjiakou also posed great difficulty for forestation.

In order to maintain biodiversity and facilitate vegetation recovery, the planting density was set at 3m脳3m=9銕? a low level that would contribute to the restoration and protection of the local subalpine ecosystem.

The density of 9銕?not only grants enough space for the growth of the Scots pine saplings, but also offers a common habitat for shrubs, subalpine meadow, birds, and insects. The design is able to avoid high density of a single tree species in the area which leads to low biodiversity.

The project lays more emphasis on taking care of the trees, Yang introduced, explaining that tree planters would spend five years cultivating the saplings, and a longer time managing the trees and patrolling in the forests, to guarantee that every tree could grow sturdily.

Thanks to these efforts, the indigenous vegetation landscape and the biodiversity of Zhangjiakou are gradually restored, Yang disclosed.

By XianJiangnan,KouJie (Peoples Daily Online)17:13, March 29, 2019

Tero Kuorikoski, General Manager of the Finnish Paralympic Committee (Peoples Daily Online/He Zhuoyan)

Beijing, March 29 (People鈥檚 Daily Online) 鈥?China and Finland have a bright future and potential for cooperation in Winter Paralympics, said Tero Kuorikoski, General Manager of the Finnish Paralympic Committee, during an interview with Peoples Daily Online on Wednesday.

As China gears up for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, it seeks more partnership opportunities with Finland, a leading country in winter sports.

As a latecomer to the Winter Paralympic Games, China made its debut in 2002 in Salt Lake City, United States, and didn鈥檛 win a single medal until 2018 at the PyeongChang Winter Paralympics, where China won its first ever gold in wheelchair curling.

Compared with China, Finland possesses experience, as it has participated in every Winter Paralympics to date, winning a total of 185 medals.

Despite China鈥檚 lack of experience in the Winter Paralympics, Tero voiced his confidence in China鈥檚 development in this field.

According to Tero, the national Paralympic Committees of both nations plan to advance cooperation, with the focus on exchanging sporting expertise through coaching, educating trainers and sharing more facilities.

鈥淭here is no simple package solution for all sports,鈥?he said, adding that it is important for China to voice its needs in each sport.

鈥淲hen your needs and our expertise confront positively, then we have real cooperation,鈥?he further noted.

In regards to further promoting winter sports among people with disabilities, Tero mentioned the significance of raising awareness and telling people fantastic stories from the Paralympic movement.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all about centimeters and kilograms, just like in the non-disabled sports field,鈥?said Tero, emphasizing that athletes with disabilities who are performing at the top level should be seen as elite athletes, not just people with disabilities.

Tero encouraged more Chinese people with disabilities to enjoy winter sports. 鈥淧lease do have the courage to seek your dreams and develop your own path,鈥?he said.

(Xinhua)10:28, March 30, 2019

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) — Top Chinese striker Wu Lei has impressed Spain with his amazing performance despite his very short stint with the La Liga, Espanyol CEO Roger Guasch said.

Wu joined Espanyol from Shanghai SIPG in January and became the first Chinese player to score in the Spanish top-tier league.

We realized Wu Lei is the best player in China before we finished the deal. He is so talented…Everyone in Spain knows his name now, Guasch said in Beijing on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old players popularity in Spain continues to increase. His performance convinced coach Rubi to put him in the starting eleven over the past five games.

Wu Lei is an optimistic and positive man who fits our style on the pitch well and has a strong ability to adapt. He is so modest and can get along with squad of Espanyol well, Guasch added.

During his spare time out of training, Wu Lei often watches matches of Espanyols U18, U14 and even U12 ladder teams. He is a feverish player who loves football from the heart. Its also makes us very happy to see that he has fallen in love with the city of Barcelona, Guasch said.

Espanyol will face city rivals FC Barcelona who sit atop La Liga in the 29th round on Saturday, which also could be a very special game for Chinese fans.

Guaschs visit came as Espanyol signed a strategic agreement with San Gao football school in Beijing on Wednesday to develop youth players and organize international tournaments.

We are focus on finding teenage youth players of different ages, who have qualities to spur them to become stars, Guasch said.

We not only bring elite players to La Liga but also cultivate outstanding Chinese players who can improve the competitive level of the whole CSL. We are fighting for the target of making the CSL to become a top world league, Guasch said.