Day: September 14, 2020

(Xinhua)10:58, September 10, 2020

PARIS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) — As September 21 marks the 500-day countdown of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Game, International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach said Wednesday that preparations for Beijing 2022 are on track and going well.

We heard a very encouraging technical report from the Coordination Commission who informed us the technical preparations are on track and going very well, the IOC president said in a video conference after the IOC Executive Board meeting on Wednesday.

At the EB meeting, Beijing 2022 Coordination Commission chair Juan Antonio Samaranch noted advances in venue construction, development of the local Organizing Committee staff, and new sponsors and suppliers, as further evidence of Beijing 2022s progress.

In regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, Samaranch reported that Beijing 2022 has been in direct contact with the relevant International Federations, developing plans for different scenarios at a number of official test events this coming winter based on the latest COVID-19 situation.

Bach also said the progress in rapid testing and development of a vaccine could be greatly influential.

We have also made contact with COC to benefit from the expertise of the developers of Chinese pharmaceutical companies to see and learn about the progress there. These will of course not only influence hopefully the preparations for Tokyo, but also for Beijing, Bach added.

For the Tokyo Olympic Games, Bach repeated that the local organizers and the IOC are preparing for multiple scenarios for the Games next year, but it was not time to specify the plan.

Its just too early to give a concrete answer what will be the final scenario, Bach said, The only thing we can say is it will be about offering a safe environment for all participants.

(Xinhua)12:13, September 10, 2020

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) — Chinas Xu Yifan teamed up with American Nicole Melichar to edge past Asia Muhammad/Taylor Townsend of the United States in three sets to reach the womens doubles final at the US Open on Wednesday.

The third seeds were forced into a final-set tiebreak, where they saved a match point, before overcoming Muhammad and Townsend in a tremendous tussle 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9-7) and booked their ticket to the final.

Melichar said: Before the match, I told my coach I was prepared for a 7-6 in the third set. Obviously Im thrilled we won 7-6 in the third. You always wish that its easier, but we fought our hearts out.

Asia and Taylor played a great match, Melichar continued. Weve known each other for so many years, played against each other so many times.

Very little separated the two teams in the tilt, as each pair fired 46 winners on the day. Muhammad and Townsend broke serve six times, compared to five breaks for Xu and Melichar, but it was the Chinese-American team who used bold play to secure the decisive breaker.

Im so proud of Nicole and I, weve really worked very hard every day, said Xu, after the pair reached their second final in the last three weeks at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

They were runners-up at the Western Southern Open, which took place at the same site in Flushing Meadows two weeks ago.

Xu and Melichar are now both one win away from the first Grand Slam womens doubles title for each of them. Xu was a womens doubles runner-up at Wimbledon in 2019, while Melichar was the runner-up at Wimbledon in 2018. Melichar does have a Grand Slam mixed doubles title, winning that event alongside Alexander Peya of Austria at that same 2018 Wimbledon.

The third seeds will face the unseeded pairing of Laura Siegemund of Germany and Vera Zvonareva of Russia in the final.

(Xinhua)10:00, September 11, 2020

YINCHUAN, China, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) — Kayaking through the bushy reed marshes that have turned into golden yellow in the Diannong River, 57-year-old Xu Huiping takes a deep breath to enjoy the beauty of early autumn in north Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

I used to take a walk here for sightseeing, but now I really enjoy doing it on the kayak. Its fashionable and also much closer to nature, said Xu.

Xu learned to kayak three years ago, which lifted her out of the sadness of losing her parents. The broad and calm surface of the lake relaxes me with precious inner peace, said Xu.

The Yellow River, Chinas second-longest river, flows through Ningxia, and Yinchuan is famous for its many natural lakes and wetlands.

However, when it comes to northwest regions in China, draught usually comes first in peoples minds, not water sports like kayaking.

To meet peoples sporting needs, China, in its latest five-year national fitness program in 2016, advocated making full use of lakes, rivers and other natural water resources and to further fuel the water sports and outdoor entertainment industries.

In 2017, the Yinchuan Xianglong kayaking association, the first and only one in Ningxia, was founded and Xu joined soon after.

We always kayak from early spring, by breaking the ice, to late autumn, Xu said. During this period, she goes kayaking at least three times a week and one hour each time.

Very interesting! I once went more than 10km, Xu said. Its not that tiring if you do some stretches before and after the kayaking.

According to Wang Dong, the association initiator, there are over 250 regular members, with teenagers and retirees as a majority, ranging from five to 60.

However, office workers are also a large group. 40-year-old Lin Jicheng is one of them, and kayaking became another hobby of the basketball-lover about two months ago.

Lin travels a lot, which leaves very little time for him to spend with his family. But kayaking is a good way for him to enjoy family time. Now, his mother and two sons have become frequenters of the kayaking base near the Diannong River.

My mother loves to be next to nature, so she comes here to kayak at least one hour when she has time, Lin said.

Lin enrolled his two sons in swimming classes quite early, and now he wants to train their physical strength through kayaking. I hardly had the chance to play in water when I was young, so I hope they can enjoy water sports during their childhood, Lin said.

In fact, many members including Lin have never learned to swim, so they are required to acquire some emergency rescue skills and wear life vests when starting the journey on the water.

We also offer free training to the others, so that more lives will be saved in case of an emergency, said Wang.

55-year-old teacher Ai Fuying cant swim either, but she spends almost her whole summer holiday kayaking on the river with her safety ensured by a life vest.

Its quite safe and fun, and my family always comes with me too, Ai said. Anyway, its much better than staying at home and watching TV or playing on mobile phones.

(Xinhua)09:16, September 13, 2020

PARIS, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) — Brazilian forward Neymar has returned to training for Paris Saint-Germain with three other players after serving COVID-19 isolation for infections,PSG head coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed on Saturday.

The other three players are Argentine duo Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes, and goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

PSG have confirmed seven COVID-19 cases recently, apart from the above four are Kylian Mbappe, Mauro Icardi and Marquinhos, who will still be unavailable for PSGs home game against Marseille on Sunday.

Icardi, Marquinhos and Mbappe are absentees. All the others are in the squad, Tuchel said in a pre-match conference on Saturday before the challenge against last years Ligue 1 runners-up.

We have another session tomorrow morning and well decide which players are able to play the game. the German coach added.

Italian full-back Alessandro Florenzi, who has just arrived in Paris on a one-year loan from Serie A side Roma, could also cap for Tuchels side in Sundays match,

The French defending champions kicked off their league title defence on Thursday with a shock 1-0 defeat at newly-promoted Lens, in a game which a shorthanded Tuchel had to field several young players such as 18-year-old league debutants Kays Ruiz-Atil and Arnaud Kalimuendo and 20-year-old goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, who was just making his second appearance for the first team.

(Xinhua)12:19, August 30, 2020

A large X-Sports park is opening in the south of Beijing on Saturday.

The Aegean X-Sports park covers 1,900 square meters, and is divided into a skateboard area and a parkour area.

The U-shaped pool in it is equipped with a professional double-layer bowl pool rarely seen in domestic extreme venues. The slope of the pool is precisely designed to allow extreme sports enthusiasts to practice and play on it, and better provide them with safety protection.

To meet the sports needs of extreme sports enthusiasts such as fancy bicycles and straight row roller skating, the skateboard area has street style waves, steps and other professional props.

The parkour area is covered with various props such as high and low poles and steps. The artificial obstacle field provides a suitable place for parkour enthusiasts to practice all kinds of difficult movements.

The lighting and music facilities in the venue will make the extreme park more fashionable at night, aiming to attract young X-sports enthusiasts.

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