BEIJING, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines over the past week:
1. Chinese teenager Shang makes Australian Open main draw
Shang Juncheng of China celebrates scoring during the Australian Open qualifying match against Zsombor Piros of Hungary on Jan. 12, 2023. (Photo courtesy of ATP)
Chinese teenage tennis player Shang Juncheng made it to the main draw of the Australian Open after winning his final qualifying round match on Thursday.
Former junior world No. 1 Shang will join his compatriots Zhang Zhizhen and Wu Yibing in the Australian Open main draw, as three Chinese male players will compete in the main draw of any Grand Slam event for the first time in history along with seven Chinese female players.
2. China's Xie Lijun selected as FIFA Women's World Cup match official
Xie Lijun at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India. (Photo courtesy of Sichuan University)
China's Xie Lijun has been selected as an assistant referee for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, as the FIFA Referees' Committee announced the tournament's match officials on Monday.
Coming from southwest China's Sichuan Province, Xie has officiated international and domestic competitions, including the AFC Women's Asian Cup and the 2022 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup.
A total of 33 referees, 55 assistant referees and 19 video match officials (VMOs) will form FIFA Team One for the FIFA Women's World Cup, which will be staged in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.
3. China's first breaking national team eyes Paris 2024
China's B-girl Liu Qingyi competes during the 2022 WDSF World Breaking Championships in Seoul, South Korea on Oct. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Yiliang)
Eight breakdancers will represent China in Olympic qualifications, as the first ever Chinese national team of the new Olympic sport was established on Monday.
Led by 2022 WDSF World Breaking Championships silver medalist Liu Qingyi (B-girl 671), the team of four B-boys and four B-girls, secured their berths in the national team through two rounds of trials which ended on Sunday.
4. Olympic champ Ma Long confirms China's full singles quota in WTTC Finals
Ma Long of China hits a return during the men's singles match against Togami Shunsuke of Japan at World Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) Finals Asian Continental Stage in Doha, Qatar on Jan. 11, 2023. (Photo by Nikku/Xinhua)
China has ensured its full participation in the World Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) Finals later this year as Olympic gold medalist Ma Long won his position game in the WTTC Asia Continental Stage on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Fan Zhendong, Wang Chuqin, Liang Jingkun and Xiang Peng won their second round group matches to secure the WTTC Finals men's singles berths for China, while Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng, Wang Manyu, Wang Yidi and Chen Xingtong triumphed in the women's singles category.
China also secured full quota in the men's, women's and mixed doubles events of the worlds on Monday.
5. Tianjin wins record 15th Chinese Women's Volleyball League title, captain Yao joins Italian side Scandicci
Players of Tianjin celebrate during the second match of the 2022-2023 Chinese Women's Volleyball Super League finals against Shanghai in Shangrao, Jiangxi province on Jan. 8, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Chinese Volleyball Association)
Tianjin beat Shanghai 2-0 in the best-of-three finals to win their fourth consecutive league title following a straight-set victory in the 2022-2023 Chinese Women's Volleyball Super League in Shangrao, Jiangxi Province on Sunday.
This is a record 15th overall league title for the powerhouse, who dropped only two sets in 22 games in this season.
Tianjin captain Yao Di, 30, is to join Italian Women's Volleyball League side Savino Del Bene Scandicci, with the setter leaving for Europe on Wednesday evening.
6. Gong Lijiao, Su Bingtian elected as CAA vice presidents
Su Bingtian of China reacts after the men's 100m semifinal at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan on Aug. 1, 2021. Su clocked a personal best of 9.83 seconds and became the first Chinese sprinter to qualify for the Olympic men's 100m final at the Tokyo Games. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)
Star sprinter Su Bingtian and Olympic shot put champion Gong Lijiao have been elected as vice presidents of the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA), the country's governing body of the sport confirmed on Friday.
33-year-old Gong won the women's shot put gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and she also claimed titles at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships.
Su, also 33, set a new Asian record of 9.83 seconds in the men's 100m en route to becoming the first Chinese to qualify for the final of the event in Olympic history at Tokyo 2020. He also led China's 4x100m relay team to earn a silver at the 2015 worlds and an Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo.■
